Praise for the Sunderland scheme which helps the needy and homeless

Street Care is making a huge difference through its drop-in centre, food banks and regular meal service.

Street Care, which has been running for more than 20 years, offers a food bank and a drop-in centre which has proved to be vital over the years.

It’s not just the homeless who get Street Care’s caring arm at its base at St Gabriel’s Church in Saint Gabriel’s Avenue, Sunderland.

In fact, the group hopes to help before people before they become homeless.

Its range of services include a day centre, a food bank and a facility where it provides a meal on the first and third Saturday of each month.

And it’s much-needed presence in Sunderland has led to the group being nominated for a Best of Wearside Award.

Volunteer Joe Parkin is involved with the food bank side of Street Care.

He described the nomination as: “Brilliant. The more publicity we get the better, not just for the donations but the people who turn up at the church to eat the food we prepare.

“We help people in need. It is partly the homeless but it is to help people before they become homeless.”

Joe said the Best of Wearside nomination was also important because “it lets people know that we are open.”

Joe urged anyone wanting to find out more to either turn up at the church on a Friday between 9am and 10.30am, or on the first or third Saturday each month between 10am and 1pm.

Its website is also available at http://www.streetcare.org.uk.

This year’s Best of Wearside Awards has backing from headline sponsor BGL Group, partner sponsor Gentoo and category sponsors Stagecoach and Calsonic Kansei.

We thank them all for getting on board, and now comes your turn to get involved.

Send your name, address and telephone number, as well as your email address, if applicable.

Remember to include the category you are putting your nominated cause into. Also, send the name of the person you wish to nominate, along with their address, telephone number and email (if known). Send all of that to Lynn Wild by no later than mid-February.

You can nominate in any one of three ways:

lEmail those entries to [email protected].

lSend them to Lynn Wild, Alexander House, Second Floor, Rainton Bridge Business Park, Houghton-le-Spring, Sunderland. DH4 5RA.

lVisit the website at www.bestofwearside.co.uk.

The categories

Local Hero.

Green Champion.

Student of the Year.

Fundraiser of the Year.

Volunteer of the Year.

Sporting Achievement.

Community Group.

Community Champion.

Child of Achievement.

Child of Courage.