A HOUSE building company in Chipping Sodbury has helped fund a new kitchen for a charity that supports the homeless and underprivileged.

Redcliffe Homes, an independent building company, made a donation of £1,450 to the Bristol based charity Borderlands, which runs a twice weekly drop-in for individuals who come from a very poor and marginalised group.

The charity supports refugees and asylum-seekers in the city and those separated from their families and ‘taken-for-granted’ sources of personal, emotional and financial support.

Redcliffe Homes chose to support the charity and help renovate the kitchen which will be used by hundreds of individuals for hot meals.

Borderlands’ director, Hilary Jones, said: “We had to raise £12,500, which is a huge amount of money for an organisation like ours.

“Redcliffe Homes was the first to respond to our appeal, and their pledge inspired others to follow suit. Their generosity will be appreciated by hundreds of disadvantaged people for many years to come.”

The renovation of the kitchen means that Borderlands will be able to expand its service, as the professional-standard equipment being installed means that greater numbers of meals can be prepared and more users served their meals more quickly.

The venue for the meals, Easton’sTolentino Hall, was built over 10 years ago with a kitchen that was originally intended for occasional light use.

It was recently judged by local authority food hygiene inspectors as inadequate for the demands being made of it, so plans for a major overhaul had to be drawn up.

The kitchen renovation took place in the first week of December this year.

Redcliffe Homes marketing and sales manager, Lorraine Kendrick, said: “We are so pleased to be able to support this very worthwhile cause.”

The charity offers help and advice from volunteers and fellow users, the opportunity to learn English and voice their concerns to others in a safe setting as well as food parcels and clothes to those in urgent need.

With 45 per cent of the users receiving no financial or accommodation support, other than from charities like Borderlands, users often cannot afford to feed themselves.

Bristol is a Home Office ‘designated city’ where asylum seekers and refugees are placed.

Approximately 500 asylum seekers and refugees are estimated to be in Bristol today.

For further information about the charity visit: www.borderlands.uk.com.

To learn more about Redcliffe homes visit: www.redcliffehomes.co.uk.