A HOMELESS charity which had been facing a crisis over rent of its kitchen will be able to go on feeding people for at least a year after a benefactor came forward with a year’s rent.

Action for Barnsley Homeless feeds those in need every Tuesday, but had been struggling to keep up with increasing rents at its home in Temperance House, Pitt Street.

It was a crisis which saw the departure of another similar ‘street kitchen’ run by veterans, which relocated to other premises in town.

The story featured in the Chronicle last month when one of the volunteers, Jill Martin, appealed for help.

But members of Barnsley Round Table - which organises the Locke Park Bonfire each year - contacted Jill and offered to fund the rent for a full year.

It came at the same time as the charity also managed to re-negotiate the rent.

“It’s absolutely fantastic, I just couldn’t believe it,” said Jill.

“It means we can carry on doing what we do for at least another year.”

Before Christmas about 45 to 50 people would come to the sessions every week. It dropped off slightly to the mid 30s over Christmas but Jill expects numbers to quickly rise again.

“When we featured in the Chronicle we did say we were looking for alternative premises. We didn’t want to move as the place is great, it’s just we couldn’t afford £60 a week which is what we were looking at.

“This chap from the Round Table had seen the article in the Chronicle and got in touch to say he thought he could help.

“I thought he was going to offer some premises at first, but he said ‘are you happy where you are’ and I said we were, the facilities are ideal for what we need.”

The charity has managed to strike a deal whereby the rent remains at the £35 a week level they are paying now, and the Round Table has agreed to fund that for a year, presenting a cheque for £1,820 on Tuesday night.

It puts the charity on a solid footing for the near future.

“The money we have got we can spend other essentials, sleeping bags, tents and things like that where they are needed.

“This means we’ve got a future. There was no way we wanted to go back to feeding people outside in the Courthouse car park like we did when we started, especially on these cold nights.”

About 12 volunteers are involved in running the weekly sessions. Jill said it was heart-warming that several charities work in Barnsley to care for the homeless and vulnerable.

“I think we all just feel we want to do something to help.

“For me, it’s just that knowledge that they’ve had some proper hot food inside them, you feel like you’ve done something to help.

“It’s that very basic thing, proper food, clean clothes, sleeping bag if they need it. Above all you just try and give that bit of comfort and support.”