A chief executive who used to be homeless has donated mattresses to the Romford YMCA in a bid to always give back.

Kyri Kyriacou founded his “hybrid estate agents” - Property Vine – in 2016 after spending many years as a branch manager for various high street estate agents.

The 46-year-old said he felt inspired to start his own “ethical" version because he never liked the industry.

“Unlike many estate agents, our ethos and targets are never about number of listings, but always about the number of people we can help," said Kyri.

“I like to steer away from traditional estate agents."

Romford Recorder: Kyri Kyriacou founded Property Vine in 2016.Kyri Kyriacou founded Property Vine in 2016. (Image: Just Productions)

Through his sales and letting agency and in collaboration with SS Electrical, Kyri has donated more than 30 mattresses to the YMCA in Romford.

He said: “My life is about helping people where we can and it’s part of everyday life. It’s always nice to help if possible.”

Having been homeless in his late 20s, Kyri said he understands the “importance of a mattress” and will always do what he can to help others.

Head of housing at YMCA Thames Gateway Group, Emily Dickson, said it is "extremely grateful" for the donation, which will help people moving on from the YMCA into independent living.