Volunteers and supporters thanked for their efforts to help people sleeping rough in Corby and Kettering

Dennis Binks organised the team of volunteers which went out over the Christmas period

This is the fifth year the Candle of Light Christian Spiritual Church in Corby has given out warm clothing, bedding and food to people sleeping rough on the streets of Kettering, Corby and surrounding areas during the Christmas and New Year period.

Organiser Dennis Binks said they had up to 60 volunteers who went out on four nights during this week and last week.

Dennis said: “It went really well.

“We found four homeless people in Kettering and 12 in Corby.

“Some of them were so grateful for the hot food and sleeping bags.”

Every year Dennis liaises with various organisations, including the police, local councils and social services, before the volunteers hit the streets.

All volunteers go out in groups of four with two men and two women for safety reasons and they are given a safety talk beforehand.

As well as the volunteers, people have also shown their support by donating food, clothing and bedding to be distributed over the festive period.

Dennis added: “One bloke had a tent which was in such a mess.

“It had water in it so some of the volunteers went back in the day with a tarpaulin and shored up the tent.

“It’s completely waterproof now and they built a fire pit for him, he was over the moon.”

Dennis added: “This is what Christmas is about.

“It is our fifth year of doing this and it’s like a military operation now.”

He said they will be passing on details of the people they helped to the council to see if further assistance is available to them.

While the church is behind the annual initiative, it is not just members of the congregation who give up their time to help or make a donation and Dennis has thanked everyone for their support

He said: “We want to thank those who donated the food and the volunteers that went out on a cold night over Christmas.”

He said the volunteers were ‘elated’ about what they achieved and referring to those they helped, Dennis said: “We are a church and I think it brought a little bit of light into their lives.”