THE plight of the homeless in the West Midlands has been helped by some Redditch workers who are supporting a locally-based voluntary organisation which feeds people living on the streets.

Staff at training and employment specialists Pertemps People Development Group (PPDG) in Albert Street, have donated £500 from their payroll giving scheme to the St Vincent de Paul Society. The society is supported by Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church in Redditch and helps ensure that homeless people on the streets of Birmingham have food every evening.

Steve Martin from the St Vincent de Paul Society said: “PPDGs donation helps us maintain and sustain the twice monthly soup kitchens that we run for between 90 and 120 people who sadly find themselves living on the streets.

“It would be impossible for us to sustain the project without donations like this one so we are extremely grateful to the employees who give monthly deductions from their salary.

“Lots of churches and faith groups support the soup kitchen every night of the week. We do it twice monthly and without the existence of the soup kitchen, some people would find themselves in totally different circumstances.

“Fr Tony Rowan is very supportive, as are the parishioners of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, but we are all volunteers, so particularly fortunate to be able to get a great team of people together to deliver the support on the soup kitchen and outreach every week.”

The soup kitchens are situated close to Moor Street station in Birmingham but needy customers originally from all parts to attend each evening.

Mr Martin added: “Our work in Birmingham city centre brings us into contact with many men and women from Redditch and North Worcestershire who have travelled into our second city hoping and expecting better provision and services for the homeless. Sadly this is not the case and many find themselves having to live in doorways.”

PPDG employees have twice been recognised for their payroll giving generosity at The National Payroll Giving Excellence Awards organised by The Institute of Fundraising. This autumn celebrates a decade of giving in which time staff have donated £250,000 back to local communities, charities and worthy causes.

Manager of the Pertemps Redditch office, Bhavesh Patel, explained why he was keen to contribute to the company’s ‘Give As You Earn scheme’.

“I am involved because it makes a big difference to a lot of communities,” he said

“This particular charity has helped venerable groups of people some of whom could be old customers who have fallen through difficult circumstances and it is good to see their efforts being supported in this way.”