Stamford Kiwanis and Stamford ex Round Tablers (XT) fund van for housing essential project

A group which delivers essential furniture to people in need has received new wheels.

Stamford Housing Essentials Project (Shep) helps more than 100 families each year by delivering and supplying furniture and electrical goods.

When the group’s old van became unreliable after clocking up a lot of miles Stamford Kiwanis and Stamford ex Round Tablers (XT) offered to raise the money to purchase a replacement van.

Louise Rose, who is from the housing essentials project, said: “We are so grateful to Stamford XT and Kiwanis for raising funds for the new van.

“Shep depends on reliable transport and the design of the new van will also make it much easier for our volunteers to load heavy goods.”

Clients are referred to Shep by care agencies, schools and doctors. They have low incomes and many struggle with poor physical or mental health so aren’t able to replace appliances or buy furniture.

Beds, wardrobes, drawers, sofas, tables and household appliances which have been donated by people in the area are used to furnish their houses.

The project is run by a volunteer team at St George’s Church, under the church’s ‘Fresh Hope’ initiative.

Steve Marsh from Stamford Kiwanis said: “The new van will be a big help to the volunteers who do the lifting and shifting.”