HOMELESS support charity Teardrops has announced that it is going to help three primary schools by giving donated food to support families in need.

Teardrops on Crab Street, support the homeless and those in need in society by offering a free meal and a place to spend time. People are given support to get off the streets and change their lives.

Now the charity is expanding their reach to support some pupils at three schools in St Helens, which they wish to remain anonymous. They hope to help children from underprivileged backgrounds to make the best of their lives.

Teardrops manager Nick Dyer, said: "What we've been doing since Christmas, when we gave out 350 hampers to people and groups in need, is highlighting those groups which we can offer more support to going forward.

"We get donated food items which we need to run but we get so many, so we have decided to break that up into four hampers a month, three go to these schools, one each week, and the last will go to us.

"We have had to issue 20 emergency packs over the winter to families struggling, and universal credit has been a big problem to so many.

"Many people think we just help the homeless, and that is our first point of call so to speak, but we are also conscious that prevention is better than cure.

"That's why we want to help people earlier on to hopefully help them avoid a life in desperate need once they've reached that point, which is harder to come back from."

Teardrops are asking for food in cans and packets to be donated plus any toiletries. Drop offs can be made at the charity's hub on Crab Street, St Helens.