OUR appeal with Wyre Forest homeless charity HELP is off to a flying start with more than £200 donated in just 48 hours.

The Shuttle Run campaign aims to raise £10,000 for HELP to enable its small team of volunteers to collect, store and deliver donations for the most vulnerable people in our community.

Already, our Just Giving page has collected £120 and our generous readers have also been sending donations by cheque and bank transfer, or coming up with their own fundraising ideas.

HELP founder Dave Griffin said the money will allow the charity to help even more people in need in the local area.

Kidderminster Shuttle:

He said: “We had 204 people share our appeal on our Facebook page alone and that’s in one day. We’ve also had people messaging us to find out how they can help, which is great. I think it’s going to be really successful.

“£10,000 will be huge for us. It would give us the opportunity to help more people in need.

“We get messages every day from people who need our help.

“We do as much as we can but at the moment we just don’t have the space to store all the donations or a way to transport it all.”

Money from The Shuttle Run appeal will go fund a new van for HELP to collect and drop off donations - from food and clothing to bedding and toiletries.

It will also mean the charity can accept larger donations like furniture and appliances to help homeless people get back on their feet.

Dave added: “Our long term goal is to get our own place to store these donations so that we can accept bigger donations like furniture – not just for people who are homeless or being rehomed, but any people in need.

“That could be families who are in financial difficulties or people who are sleeping on friends’ sofas because they’ve lost their home.

“It would make a massive difference to us to have our own vehicle to go out and help people when they need it.

Kidderminster Shuttle:

“This van will be used to collect all of our donations, whether that’s clothes, food for our night kitchen, bedding or furniture for people we’ve helped into accommodation.”

Donations can be made online by clicking here. Cheques can be sent to Kidderminster Shuttle, Second Floor, Copthall House, 1 New Road, Stourbridge DY8 1PH. Make them payable to HELP and write SHUTTLE RUN on the back.

Bank transfers should go to HELP, Lloyds Bank, account number 38430260, sort code 30-91-91.

Could you, your school or business hold a fundraising event for The Shuttle Run appeal? It could be a charity auction, a bake sale or even a sponsored skydive.

The Shuttle will be running stories each week as we get closer to our target, so email emily.collis@newsquest.co.uk and let us know how you’re supporting the appeal!