Widow helping the homeless with appeal in memory of husband

Vi Wood, of Wollaston, Stourbridge, has set up Leslie's Care Packages for the Homeless in honour of her husband Leslie who passed away aged 59 from cancer in April.

Despite the couple having been together since 1977, as a German citizen Vi found herself at risk of losing her home following his death, as she was unable to make a claim for housing benefit.

For now her job as a carer with Home Instead has helped her remain at the same house on Beauty Bank Crescent, where she lives with her teenage son.

However the experience has left the 56-year-old all too aware of how people can fall into homelessness. In her husband's name she decided in August to begin co-ordinating and collecting donations from the public and taking them to where they are needed, either to homelessness charities, or directly to those sleeping on the streets.

As is clear on her dedicated Facebook page, Vi gratefully receives items from warm clothing, sleeping bags, toiletries, food and more, and distributes these to where they are needed most.

She also meticulously photographs each donation and posts these on the Facebook group with details of where they are being sent, including to local charities Heaven's Kitchen, Gather Dudley CIC and CHADD in Dudley, Loaves n Fishes in Halesowen, and Living Springs in Stourbridge. "I've had a massive response," said Vi. "At the moment I have a bedroom full of around 15 to 20 filled black bin bags ready for when places open again after Christmas. It is just building and building up."

She added: "Leslie always wanted to help other people. He wanted to help the homeless. I am doing what he would have done. I am really grateful for the response of people to this. And through it I have made lots of new friends."

People who have items to donate but need help getting them to the right place, can email Vi at lesliescarepackages@yahoo.com

Alternatively contact her through the dedicated Facebook page at www.facebook.com/LesliesCarePackagesfortheHomeless

Next year Vi is also planning to set up a website for the cause.