HOMELESS support hub Teardrops is celebrating after being awarded a £9,810 grant by the charitable fund run by the publisher of the St Helens Star. 

Newsquest Media Group is one of the UK’s leading news publishers and this year has given nearly £300,000 to 50 good causes in communities served by its local news brands across the country.

And Teardrops has been selected for the vital work they do in St Helens and beyond.

The Gannett Grants are made on merit, with Teardrops pledging to use the funds to create a shower block for the homeless and buy a dishwasher for its hub on Crab Street.

Teardrops co-founder Denise Kelly said: “The funding will help us to put a shower block in hopefully with two showers, one for men and the other for women, with some lockers so they can put their clothes there and the dishwasher. Every week we service around 200 people. It’s a lot of dishes and we need a minimum of eight staff to help and there is a lot of dishes after - it is stretched without a dishwasher. 

“They will be able to have a shower, get fresh clothes and just feel good again really, because when they get to us they are in crisis.”

Co-founder Shauni Ward, 28, said: “Every donation we get goes to pay for the rent and the bills, so things like the showers and dishwasher have had to take a backburner, so to get this means we can go ahead and produce these facilities.” 

Andrew Kilmurray, editor of the St Helens Star, said: “It is tremendous news that the grant has been awarded to Teardrops.

“There’s a huge amount of public concern about homelessness and families facing crisis. Hopefully this will provide a helping hand.”