Over £5,000 raised to help homeless man in Reading after viral Twitter post
The overwhelming response has managed to secure John food, accommodation and clothes just in time for Christmas
Over £5,000 have been raised to help a homeless man living in Reading after a post on Twitter went viral.
Harry Beardsley met John, 28, while out in the town and decided to take him for 'lunch, a few beers and some pool', hoping to make a difference just in time for Christmas.
He then posted a few photos of them having fun on Twitter and asked people to send him a message if they have any jobs available for John.
Harry's original Twitter post went viral, counting over 40 thousand likes and over 13 thousand retweets as people were eager to help John.
In less than a day, people's response has managed to secure John food, clothes, and accommodation until mid-January.
Harry also created a GoFundMe page, where he wrote: "I want to make sure he's safe and sheltered for Christmas, any donations will be appreciated to help with food, accommodation and clothes!"
After receiving such overwhelming support, John thanked those who have been helping raise money and wished everyone a great year ahead.
In a video posted on Twitter, he said: "Thank you, everyone, for helping me. I'm going to get some rent and a place, get a job and begin 2022. I wish everyone love and I hope that you have a great 2022 and the rest of your life. Thank you so much!"
Almost 400 people are homeless in Reading
Over 2,000 people are without a permanent place to stay across Berkshire, according to research published by Shelter.
The charity also found that 274,000 people are without a permanent home in England on any given night.
Shelter said Covid protections such as the 'Everyone In' scheme, the eviction ban, and the boost to Universal Credit played a vital role in keeping people in their homes and suppressing homelessness during the pandemic.
However, it's warning that with these protections gone, living costs soaring and another uncertain winter ahead, there is a risk of more people losing their homes across the country.
According to the charity the estimated number of homeless people in Reading is 399.