A group of young people from Manchester, who used to be homeless, are opening up a one-day Christmas soup kitchen.

The group will be serving hot food to local homeless people in Ashton-under-Lyne this Wednesday (16th December)

The team of three are organising the afternoon as part of the Tameside Peer Education scheme, which is run by Nacro for young people who are not in employment, education or training and have experience of homelessness.

Shez Sheikh, the Nacro Education Coordinator running the programme says: “The course is designed to empower young people through helping others. They know first-hand what it’s like to go hungry, especially at Christmas time. They’ve planned and organised everything themselves, from finding a venue, to shopping for food and keeping track of the costs.”

As well as offering food and a shower, the group will also be on hand to give out information about support that’s available, offer advice and talk about their own experiences.

Eighteen year-old Colette Bayes from Tameside is one of the young people taking part. Her family asked her to leave home after a string of arguments when she was sixteen. She lived with her partner for almost two years, but when that relationship ended, she found herself homeless.

Colette says: “I went from one friend to the next staying on sofas, but I felt totally lost and alone. I had no money and was just drifting. Then luckily in October, I got a place in a supported housing project run by Nacro in Manchester.

“Now I’m taking part in the Peer Education scheme which is really fun. All of us know what it’s like not having a place to call home, which is why we wanted to do something aimed at homeless people. When we were coming up with the plan, I thought about what I would want if I was sleeping on the streets, and that would be a hot meal and a shower.”

They will be helped out on the day by volunteers from UChooseIT which is a service for homeless people and drug users in Tameside and the Peer Education Project is being funded by V-Inspired.