VOLUNTEERS who support a borough-based charity that helps the homeless and struggling in Thurrock reported a busy night at its most recent gathering on Friday (28 January) and have issued a plea for more help, if possible, from the local community and businesses due to the rising numbers of people in need.

The Friends of Essex and London Homeless regularly run a soup kitchen and help event outside Grays Baptist Church in Grays on Friday evenings.

At the latest meeting, they were visited by 49 people in need.

A statement from the charity says: "What an eventful evening we had at our Friday night Grays soup kitchen and everyday essentials foodbank with an incredible 49 people through the table and we also had a medical issue to deal with!

"Unfortunately one of our service users had a fit bit fortunately with Lynette and Sandra on hand who are first aid trained and Hannah calling 101 we managed to make sure the person was well and okay and not in need of an ambulance. Well done team for helping and sorting those waiting by keeping everyone calm!!

"So 49 people! Whilst we are proud we can assist so many and be that helping hand we are also extremely concerned with numbers raising but also not surprised as we predicated an upward trend sometime ago and had put a contingency plan in place to help with the increase but we really are need of the continued support of our food partners Morrisons, M&S, Sainsburys and Greggs as well as our supporters and followers who help us so much each week.

"We also are in talks with local authorities to try and do more but as non-funded charity this would need a lot of assistance but we have a plan and feel confident we could execute it but would need support and finances from these local agencies this would be imperative to help combat the growing trend of so many in crisis and need,

"In the meantime if anyone is able to donate we would be extremely grateful as the people using weekly our food bank is increasing weekly."

You can find out how to help via this link.

The appeal for help comes just a week or so after the local portfolio holder for housing, with responsibility, for the homeless in the borough, had spoken of Thurrock Council's success in alleviating the problem.

Relationships between the council and the Friends, which charity founder Steve Stuart has stressed are currently good, have not always been close but it is hoped that increased help form the community and the council will continue to make big inroads into the problems of those in need and the borough's homeless and rough sleepers.