‘Northampton’s generosity is infectious,’ says charity as it launches fundraiser to mark 25 years of service

A Northampton charity, which takes donated furniture, fixes and cleans it up and passes it on to those in need, has praised the town’s generosity as “infectious”.

Spencer Contact, in Gladstone Close, helps to make a space a home with furniture and household items.

Having seen sad situations of people sleeping on floors, sharing plates and cutlery, and using bin bags full of clothes as chairs, the team helps individuals and families to start afresh.

After officially being registered as a charity in 1994, Esther Scarsbrook and her husband Steve did not join until almost seven years ago.

What began as two ladies helping a family by transporting furniture using a trailer on the back of their car, grew to using their garage as storage as word spread about the work they did.

They outgrew the garage into a unit in Yelvertoft Road, Kingsthorpe, and then to the charity’s current location in Gladstone Close.

The team provides free furniture to anyone, as there is no means test and you do not have to be on a specific type of financial benefits.

Individuals and families can be referred through organisations, such as refuges, hospitals, the police, schools and Northampton Partnership Homes – and anyone is welcome to pick up the phone and get in touch with Spencer Contact if they need to use their services.

The charity launched its major fundraising challenge at an event last Friday (April 19), which saw many gather for afternoon tea, entertainment and to celebrate Spencer Contact’s admirable milestone.

The team hopes to raise an ambitious £10,000 through a number of events and challenges this year, which will help them continue fulfilling vital orders.

Manager Steve will be cycling from Land’s End to John O’Groats from April 29, with a target of 70 miles each day to reach the 1,000-mile total.

More than £1,300 has already been raised and the donations have helped to spur Steve on during his ongoing training.

All of the corporate sponsors were in attendance last Friday, as well as the Mayor and Mayoress, and the Spencer Contact team wanted to use the opportunity to thank them for their generosity.

“It was brilliant and well-attended,” said Esther, who enjoyed bringing 25 people together to mark the start of the charity’s anniversary celebrations and fundraising.

“It was such an encouragement and we completely felt their support. We’re a very tiny charity and to raise awareness of what we do in the town, for the town, means a great deal.

“If everybody can give a little, we will smash our target and ensure we can continue providing our service. It’s not some big publicity stunt, it’s a necessary means of making money.”

This is the first challenge of this scale that Spencer Contact has done and Esther says the “support, love and care” they have already felt is “beautiful”.

Having raised more than £1,300 so far, Esther said: “The generosity of the Northampton people amazes me. People give the town a knock sometimes but when it comes to helping those in need, people out there are very generous. The community’s generosity is infectious.”