MEMBERS of the Winsford community donated a large amount of dog food to go be given to rough sleepers and their canine companions this Christmas.

Winsford-based UK Container Maintenance (UKCM) and Winter Warmers for The Homeless have joined forces again to provide donations for people sleeping rough this winter.

The Winsford community along with the UKCM team donated dog food to the cause, which will be delivered to poverty stricken families and rough sleepers, who are living on the streets with their dogs this Christmas.

Emma Elston, CEO, said: “Here at UKCM we are passionate about helping vulnerable and disadvantaged people living in our community.

“Earlier in the year, I took part in a ‘CEO Sleepout’, a fundraising campaign where I had the opportunity to meet and get to know a number of homeless people.

“In this time, I came to understand how important their pets were to them, with many rough sleepers regularly sharing food with their animals. This was one of the many reasons that motivated me to get involved and donate.”

Victoria Whitaker, founder of Winter Warmers for the Homeless also supported the charitable scheme.

The donations will be distributed by Riverside, the third largest provider of homelessness services in the UK, to a range of people both on the streets and in homeless accommodation in Manchester.

Eleanor Watts from Riverside said: “We aim to transform the lives of homeless people by ensuring housing and support services are accessible. The generous donations provided by local people and the wonderful team at UKCM will make a big difference to the lives of rough sleepers and their canine companions, which are often overlooked.”