Hemel charity launches winter appeal to help homeless people recover and rebuild their lives

A homeless charity in Hemel Hempstead has launched a winter appeal to raise money to help the charity support the homeless in Dacorum.

DENS aim to be the first port of call for people in Dacorum who are facing homelessness, poverty and social exclusion; to support and empower them to take the next positive step in their lives.

With the coronavirus pandemic forcing the charity to cancel many of its fundraising events the charity has launched a winter appeal.

DENS CEO Wendy Lewington: "We truly appreciate your support and thoughtfulness at this time. During lockdown, our main focus was to keep our Hostel, Day Centre and Foodbank open.

"We distributed 1943 parcels, an increase of 68% compared with last year. Since the pandemic began, our Foodbank has now supported almost 4500 people.

"We have also provided accommodation to 204 individuals at our Hostel and Move On Service.

"Thanks to the generosity of the local community, our Foodbank levels remain high, which is great news.

"We currently have 49,398kg of stock which would usually be between 17,000-25,000Kg, so no one in Dacorum who needs food will go hungry this festive season.

"However, the pandemic has hit our events income hard. With our live fundraising activities cancelled, we now need your help to recover and rebuild.

"A regular donation will help us plan for the future knowing that we have a steady income throughout the year, you can make a monthly donation at www.dens.org.uk/appeal.

"Thank you for your support - together, we can help rebuild more lives."