Charity for homeless forced out

Earlier this year: grub up. Gardeners’ World presenter Joe Swift serves food to homeless people at the Rhythms of Life base in Crossway, Dalston. Photo: © Tanja Schimpl

A charity providing food, support and advice to homeless and vulnerable people in Hackney has lost its premises on Crossways in Dalston and is looking for a new home.

The Citizen highlighted the plight of Rhythms of Life International back in July when the charity was facing the prospect of having to move because its rent had doubled.

The charity is now homeless, but Andrew Faris, who runs Rhythms of Life, says he is still providing food and tea out of a van that parks in Birkbeck Road from 6.15pm to 7.15pm every evening except Sundays.

Faris has witnessed a significant increase in homeless people in recent months since the recession led to companies closing and unemployment rising.

He tries to do what he can to provide them with a hot meal and a place to socialise; ideally this would be somewhere that is sheltered from the elements.

Despite help from celebrities such as Gardeners’ World presenter Joe Swift, who helped out serving food to homeless people at the charity’s former Dalston premises last summer to publicise their plight, Rhythms of Life has yet to find an affordable home.

The charity was helping up to 50 people a day; since losing the premises, Faris says the number of people they can help has fallen – though the need remains.

Now that the cold weather is here, they would welcome donations of blankets or bedding.

To help or donate to Rhythms of Life, contact Andrew Faris: 020 7254 9534 or email info@rhythmsoflife.org.uk