Campaigners who distributed 1,700 essential packs to rough sleepers earned a visit from a senior politician and a visit to Downing Street.
Watford-based charity Hand on Heart gave clothing and blankets to asylum seekers including Ukrainian refugees arriving in the UK as well as rough sleepers at 25 locations.
The charity was invited to an Eid reception at Downing Street to celebrate contributions to society by British Muslims.
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Steve Barclay, also visited Hand on Heart to meet the volunteers and discuss the initiative to help rough sleepers.
Discussing the recent events, Hand on Heart’s co-founder Afzal Pradhan BEM said: “The visit of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Steve Barclay to our HQ provided us the opportunity to highlight the growing challenges of poverty faced in the UK and what we are doing along with other charities.
“The invite to Downing Street speaks volumes on how far Hand on Heart have come on our journey to serve in humanity.
“However, we need to continue our dialogue with the authorities and voice our concerns and raise awareness on the desperate plight on our streets.”
The appeal has now ended, but a total of 23,800 items were handed out with the help of 50 volunteers at the Watford headquarters and 71 volunteer families assembling the packs.
Each essential item pack contained a polo shirt, T-shirt, underwear, socks, oral hygiene kit, face masks, toiletries, a blanket and a drawstring bag. Shower jackets, sleeping bags, blankets and bottled water were also available at the outreach drives.
These went out to hubs in Watford and London, as well as further off locations including Birmingham, Milton Keynes, Leicester, Northampton and Bristol.
Mr Pradhan said: “We have served essential packs across the UK and witnessed first-hand the growing number of people needing support as we face an increase in the cost of living.
“The campaign has illustrated how collaboration with other charities and working with our partners Beta Charitable Trust, is key to support vulnerable groups including rough sleepers and refugees including those from the Ukraine.”
An Iftar – an evening meal when Muslims break their daily Ramadan fast – was also hosted with over 100 volunteers of different faiths at the headquarters.
Attendees included Watford MP Dean Russell, Mayor Peter Taylor, council chairman Cllr Bilqees Mauthour and Cllr Asif Khan.
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