Kind-hearted staff and service users from a hospital in Bury have been collecting and donating items for a homeless charity.

Barnabus Christian Homeless Charity has been providing a lifeline for people experiencing homelessness in Manchester for more than 30 years.

The charity was chosen by staff and service users at Cygnet Hospital Bury who have donated clothes, winter accessories, and non-perishable items to those in need.

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The 187-bed hospital, on Buller Street, provides a wide range of inpatient mental health services for men and women including specialist deaf services and CAMHS provision for adolescents.

Occupational therapist Paul O’Keefe and Harriet Brotherton, an assistant psychologist, along with a service user, recently visited the head office of Barnabus to hand over the donations.

The aim of the charity is to release people from poverty, trauma and the effects of homelessness and supports people into a home through its resettlement tenancy programme and supported housing.

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Alex Simpson, digital marketing lead for Barnabus said: “Barnabus would like to say a huge thank you to the service users and staff at Cygnet Hospital for their extremely generous donation of clothing to support people experiencing homelessness.

“The Cygnet donation of practical clothing will help our friends on their journey off the streets, it will be given to people who are sadly sleeping on the streets or in temporary accommodation, they do not have access to clothes cleaning facilities, so they often need fresh clothing.

“The offer of clothes is a great way for our teams to meet and engage with people and the important conversations around support, accommodation, benefits and healthcare can begin.

From this first gift of clothing their journey off the streets and leaving homelessness behind can begin.”

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Sibo Attley, Registered Manager at Cygnet Hospital Bury added: “We are very proud of our service users and staff for their thoughtfulness in helping others.

“It is such a worthwhile cause and one that staff, and service users alike feel passionate about.

“Across our Cygnet services, caring is in our DNA and that extends not just to our service users and their loved ones, but to the communities in which we serve. We are a proud partner in our communities and will always do what we can to make a positive difference.”