City health club helps homeless charity

Bannatyne Brindleyplace supports Outreach Angels with community support.

Birmingham heath club Bannatyne Brindleyplace has joined forces with local organisation, Outreach Angels, to help support the city’s homeless community.

Volunteers been collecting clothes, bedding and toiletries, in addition to food donations including dried food, tins, biscuits, sweets and juice, from its staff and members. The club collected fourteen large bags of food a box of clothes and a bag of dog food.

Jonathan Tustain, a member at Bannatyne Brindleyplace, had volunteered with Outreach Angels. He made the health club aware of what the charity was doing and they were keen to get involved.

Outreach Angels will use the collection to help up to 100 homeless people over the course of the next three weeks. The not-for-profit-organisation was created by friends, Michala Roche, 27, Sharon Winsindale, 48 and Nataley Phillips, 37.

The trio were concerned about the growing number of homeless people in the city centre and wanted to help. Now, with 30 volunteers each week, the group takes to the streets of Birmingham, handing out clothes, food and hot drinks.

As Bannatyne Brindleyplace has proven to be a popular drop-off point, the health club team has decided to hold another collection in the last two weeks of November.

Laura Crowley, General Manager of Bannatyne Brindleyplace, said: “It has been amazing to see the generosity of our staff and members over the last couple of weeks. Food and clothing may be short-term solutions for a big problem, but it is important that vulnerable people in our community know that there is support out there.

“The Outreach Angels have started a fantastic project, and I am proud that we have been able to be a part of it. I hope that when we hold a collection in November, people can harness their Christmas spirit and donate generously!”

Michala added: “The response we have had from the people of Birmingham has been overwhelming. Each week, we invite volunteers to come out with us to distribute items of food and clothing to the homeless, and every week our 30 spaces are full.

“Without donations, our work would not be possible, so we would like to say a huge thank you to Bannatyne Brindleyplace and to everyone who contributed to the collection. I hope that other local businesses will follow suit and we can work towards improving the lives of vulnerable people in our community, together.”