THE owner of a Thurrock fitness business has presented a locally-based homeless charity with food to help get people through the winter.

Sean Laidlaw – founder of Beyond Limits in Thurrock – has been busy this festive period, not only keeping his clients fit and healthy but collecting goods to help those in need this Christmas.

Throughout November, his firm conducted a large 'donation drive' dispatching an impressive 266kg of food and personal hygiene products to the Friends of Essex & London Homeless.

Sean, 32, from Aveley, said: "I am so impressed with the way our members have pulled together this Christmas to help support our local community. With the current climate as it is at the moment, it is even more important now than ever before to extend a helping hand those less fortunate than ourselves.

"We were extremely proud to be able to take such a large donation and hope that it makes a difference.

"These crazy times have taken their toll on the population of Thurrock, and Beyond Limits wanted to give something back."

Beyond Limits, founded by Sean in June 2016, has more than 80 clients all committed to achieving the same goal this Christmas. Sean has built up a solid community over the years which has been strengthened in recent times. For further information visit their website.

Former soldier Sean, who left the British Army Bomb Squad to set-up his own business, added: "Since leaving the military I have struggled and been helped. I just want to 'pass it along' whether that be paying for a person in need's shopping, or giving someone that extra little bit of change when they run short in a shop.

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"Beyond Limits has a strong community and giving back attitude, we run several charity events during the year, namely in February after the passing of my dad, Ian Laidlaw, – the community came together and raised funds in my dad's name for Cancer Research, we have run four charity events this year with the food drive being the fifth.

Friends of Essex and London homeless provides food to those in need, who have found themselves financially struggling to make ends meet. They run a soup kitchen every Friday evening at Grays Baptist Church on Orsett Road.