Collectors from Salisbury Trust for the Homeless (STFH) and local singing group The Navy Larks combined forces on Saturday (28 May 2022) to raise a record sum for the city’s homelessness charity.

The groups collected more than £1,500 outside of Waitrose, Salisbury.

“Wow, what a day“, said Gordon Pardy, head of fundraising for STFH.

“The grand total of £1,517.46, which included some money donated via our new online option, is our biggest single-day supermarket collection ever – and we have held quite a large number of these down the years.”

The team of STFH collectors were joined by The Navy Larks, a Salisbury-based choir specialising in sea shanties and other traditional songs. The choir were dressed in their trademark striped nautical-style shirts.

The Navy Larks have previously raised money for many charities in and around Salisbury. Led by their director Kate Edgar, the choir’s songs were certainly a hit with the shoppers at Waitrose in Churchill Way.

“We are very grateful to Kate Edgar and The Navy Larks for helping us out and also to Waitrose and its incredibly generous customers,” added Gordon.

“STFH is a local charity which receives no funding from either central or local government and so we are very much dependant on the support of the public in Salisbury and south Wiltshire.”

STFH has helped hundreds of people turn their lives around in recent years. Founded in 1987, the charity helps clients regain confidence and self-esteem, learn life skills, find education, training and employment opportunities and access permanent accommodation – allowing them to return to independent living.

Support needs include mental health issues, learning disability, emotional support, drug and alcohol misuse, anti-social behaviour, budgeting, benefits claims and tenancy support.