The Recorder’s festive appeal, launched in connection with Access Self Storage Romford, has helped collect hundreds of donations for Havering’s homeless this Christmas.
Access Self Storage Romford launched their festive charity drive in September, and have been collecting donations for homeless charity Hope4Havering since.
Donations were collected and stored at the company’s premises on the A127, where the team set aside a storage room to house the gifts, while working hard for six weeks to rally the support of the local community.
Over the course of the festive period, Havering residents donated hundreds of toiletries, non-perishable foods and items of clothing, which will now be handed to the borough’s homeless seeking refuge with local charity Hope4Havering.
Access Self Storage Romford store manager, Moiz Sayed, said: “Christmas must be such a tough time for those without homes or shelter, we’re thrilled to have received so many donations for this worthy cause, it really shows a huge amount of generosity and support from the local community.”
The collected gifts will now be given to the homeless staying in Hope4Havering night shelters over the Christmas period. Kim Merry, who runs Hope4Havering, says the donations will be massively helpful over Christmas – a time when the charity is contacted constantly by Havering residents in desperate need of support.
She said: “We’re overwhelmed with the number of donations.
“Thank you to everyone who gave so generously and to the Romford Recorder and Access Self Storage who put this charity appeal together.”
The Recorder was approached by Access self storage earlier this year, and it didn’t take us long to decide which charity deserved the support.
Recorder editor Lindsay Jones said: “Hope4Havering are a terrific charity, who do great work in the community running night shelters, and helping rough sleepers find places to rent. Over the last few years their night shelters have been almost always full.”
More than 1,600 gifts have been collected this year across the country for 19 charities nominated by participating Access Self Storage stores, beating last year’s collection which had a final gift count of 1,500.
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