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Pub chefs lend shelter a hand
A HOSTEL that provides accommodation and gastropub food to homeless people is appealing for residents and businesses to help share the workload.
Shelter from the Storm (SFTS), which runs homeless accommodation in Canonbury, is backed by Islington property millionaire David Pearle and trendy Duke of Cambridge and the Charles Lamb pubs. The pubs donate free food and sometimes even chefs, who take a night off to cook for guests.
Other eateries have weighed in with catering equipment, including cookers and an extraction unit. The hostel even boasts a luxury espresso maker donated by a coffee company. Charity founder Louie Salvoni said: “I bet we’re the only homeless shelter that can say we have the best coffee in London. We already have a lot of support from the Duke of Cambridge and the Charles Lamb but we want other pubs and restaurants to help out. That saves a big cost for us; we’re spending about £50,000 a year to run this organisation so any help we can get is brilliant.”
STFS, which was set up six years ago, raised £12,000 during a gig by comic Hardeep Singh Kohli last year and recently received £10,000 from two donors who had read an article about the hostel an April issue of the Tribune. Mr Salvoni said: “We’re the only shelter that operates throughout the year like this, so organisations like Crisis phone us constantly, referring people they believe are in need.”
The hostel, which can accommodate up to 33 people, is open three nights a week but hopes to stay open every night if it can attract enough volunteers.
People at the hostel included those who had lost jobs, fallen behind with mortgage payments and had homes repossessed. |
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