A MEET and Eat event is being staged in Stourbridge this weekend to raise funds for a new charitable cause which helps the homeless.

The bring and share meal event is being held at St Thomas's Church Hall, Market Street, Stourbridge, on Saturday March 4 from 6pm.

Anyone is welcome to attend and take along vegetarian food or drink to share.

Donations will be taken on the night in aid of Vi Wood's organisation which helps the homeless - Leslie’s Care Packages for the Homeless - which was set up in memory of her late husband.

Vi from Wollaston said: "People can bring as much or as little as they like. One dish or drink is fine though as there will be plenty if most people bring something. Anyone who can't afford to bring anything - that's also ok.

"We will pass a bucket round for anyone who would like to donate money."

She will also be accepting donations of items such as scarves, hats and gloves, toiletries, food items such as tinned soup, coffee, sugar, UHT milk, tinned pie, bottles of water/juice, cereal bars and biscuits to distribute to the homeless.

Care worker Vi, originally from Germany, set up the organisation last August to help those who have lost their homes after coming dangerously close to losing her own following the death of her husband Leslie, aged 59, who lost his battle with cancer in April 2016.

She wanted to change people's perceptions of homelessness and show it can happen to anyone and she said: “My husband always used to say ‘it’s wrong that people should have to sleep on the street - we are all human beings'.

“The aim is to get donations for food clothing or anything that can help the homeless. Even families living in emergency accommodation, they need help too.

“I arrange community collections and I have seven or eight centres across the Black Country who hand out the provisions."

The charitable organisation has proved a popular cause in the six months since it was founded and has just been nominated for a Mayor's Civic Award for community spirit - and Vi said: "The support I’ve been getting is incredible."

To enable her to carry out more collections and deliveries, Vi is now seeking a company or trader to provide a sponsor a van and she ultimately hopes to be able to open a charity shop.

For more information go to www.lesliescarepackages.org or donations can be made online at www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/vi-wood