Deep In Kindness becomes a registered charity ahead of plans to find a permanent base in The Deepings

Friends who dedicate their time to helping other people are hoping to support more of the community this year.

The Deep in Kindness group has become a registered charity after its work snowballed during the past few years.

The journey began four years when former police community support officer Raechell Culff cooked a three-course meal for someone who would otherwise have been tucking into a Pot Noodle on Christmas Day.

Since then the group has expanded to host day trips, meals and events for the community, but it has greater ambitions for the next 12 months.

Founder Raechell is on the lookout for a permanent base within the Deepings where she and the team can provide a drop-in centre for people in need.

She said: “We just want to do as much as we can and the more people we can help, the better. My head is buzzing with ideas and I hope 2025 will be our year.

“Becoming a registered charity means we can ask for outside help. We currently fundraise to pay for storage units but if we can find a shop or base for people to drop in and see us, that would be great.

“Don’t Lose Hope in Bourne is an amazing place but there’s nothing like that in Deeping. If we can do something similar that would be great.”

Raechell’s motivation for helping others stemmed from her husband Michael receiving a double lung transplant in 2022. He had been diagnosed with aluminosis - more commonly known as welder’s lung - and was given a life expectancy of three to five years without the transplant.

After receiving what he described as “the most precious gift”, Michael and Raechell decided to stop buying each other presents at Christmas but to put the money towards helping other people.

Raechell said: “His transplant made us both reevaluate the importance of giving. The greatest gift ever was given to us through someone else's final act of giving.

“We decided to plough the money we would normally spend on each other into other people - putting gas on their meters and buying food for anyone who was struggling.”

The woman who had initially received a Christmas meal from Raechell contacted her a year later asking if she could pay her to provide the same service.

Not only did Raechell refuse to take any money, she opened up the offer to more people and ended up matching 20 people with volunteers who were willing to provide a home-cooked meal. By the third year Raechell was also giving hampers and toys to people in need.

Last year Raechell and her helpers took 77 people on a trip to the seaside and brought a pantomime to Deeping Primary School which 200 people attended for free. Thirty people were given a Christmas meal and 76 children received a sack of presents.

They can provide furniture and household goods, have a handyman to help with small household jobs, and also support the Bread and Butter Thing project which provides discounted food parcels.

Raechell said: “We help with everything and if we don't know or can't get something, we find someone that will.”

People needing help from the group can get in touch via the Facebook group Deep In Kindness or email Deepinkindness@gmail.com

Anyone who would like to support the charity as a volunteer is also encouraged to get in touch.