A CHARITY which provides people with a pack of essential items after they have experienced homelessness has held a coffee morning to raise funds.

Starter Packs Inverclyde supplies new tenants with the basic necessities needed to build a home. The packs include bedding, pots and pans, cutlery and other household items. 

The coffee morning held at St Marys Church hall on Tuesday, November 26 was to raise extra funds to supply people with seasonal winter essentials, such as thick duvets, hot water bottles and gloves, hats and scarves for children. 

The coffee morning on Tuesday was to help raise funds for winter items such as hot water bottles and winter duvets. (Image: George Munro)

Anne McKinney, secretary of Starter Packs Inverclyde, is grateful for the year round support that the local community give to the charity.

She said: "Everyone here is from across the whole community, friends, family and people who very kindly donate to Starter Packs the whole year with monthly donations. 

"We are also supported by Inverclyde council and retailer's and housing associations from across Inverclyde.

"We supply people with a really comprehensive range of recourses to help them on their journey with tenancy."

READ MORE: Starter Packs Inverclyde helps almost two dozen households

Ruth Bennett, convenor of the management committee, told the Tele: "We have noticed that a lot of our packs are now going out to people who are coming into the area, and not just succinctly from homelessness.

"There are sadly still a lot of people who don't have a roof over their head or a place to call their own and that has to drop.

"We need to make sure everyone has a home that is comfortable and has got enough money, even if you have a home you still need enough money to cook your food and heat your home.

"It's not just about providing the recourses, its maintaining them too, paying for their tenancy and having a good quality of life."

Around 35 packs are handed out across Inverclyde every month. (Image: George Munro)

Ruth says that the charity is sending out 'at least 35 packs each month' with a pack of basics costing £208 and a pack for a child it is £68.

She said: "Although it is only one pack, it could be sent out to a single parent with multiple children or it could be a couple with children or just one adult so the number of packs sent out don't truly reflect the numbers of people they help."