Rik James has been feeding homeless people for 20 years. The last six of these he has been head of Birmingham Homeless Outreach (BHO), a charity he founded. This collects unsold food from bakeries and distributes them direct to homeless people in the City Centre.
“The problem of homelessness needs to be highlighted, right now the number of homeless people on our streets is increasing” he says.
“People from all walks of life are homeless, most don’t realise how easy it is to lose everything. I was in business and through financial misfortune ended up homeless; I began working with outreach teams helping to feed people who wouldn’t otherwise have access to what most take for granted.”
BHO combines the offering food, hot drinks and clothes alongside giving advice on rehousing, including supported living opportunities for those dealing with addition issues. In the coming winter months they also aim to supply sleeping bags to anyone sleeping rough in Birmingham.
To help BHO consider:
-donating clothes, sleeping bags and ready to eat food
– volunteering
-taking part in the mass sleep out on 2nd December at Fletcher’s Walk
For more information see: www.bho.me.uk
