Hundreds of homeless people in Newcastle fear they'll lose access to only meal they get each day
The People's Kitchen says it needs to raise thousands to keep their outreach van going
One of Newcastle's longest running projects says hundreds of homeless people could lose their only chance at a meal every day, as it tries to raise thousands to keep going.
The People's Kitchen says it provides 40,000 meals to those in need every year - but without a new catering van, they won't be able to help people on the streets
Even though official stats say there were only 51 rough sleepers in the North East last year, Maureen Armstrong from the group says they're seeing hundreds every week.
Maureen said:
"We have a lot of our friends who don't necessarily want to come into a building, for one reason or another they don't feel safe coming in to a building - they feel safe outside.
"So, feeding them outside is probably the only hot meal they got that day.
"If we were to lose our van, they'd be devastated because it's not necessarily just the food that we give, it's friendship as well - and sometimes, we are the only people they talk to that day.
"So it's just coming along, having something to eat, a hot drink and then having a chat with someone."
Richard visits the People's Kitchen most days to get a hot meal, and has to sleep under a bridge because he struggles to make ends meet on his occupational pension.
Richard said:
"The people that come in here receive a lot, they may not say so, but they receive so much and I'm grateful, really grateful for The People's Kitchen."
You can support their fundraising effort by going to donr.com/van or text Van to 70085 and you'll be sent a link to make a donation.