A homeless charity is celebrating 30 years of transforming lives at its anniversary event in Richmond next month.

SPEAR, a dedicated charity to getting people off the streets in Richmond and Merton since 1987, will be hosting an evening of entertainment and debates at the Richmond Adult Community College on July 11.

‘From homelessness to independence’, the event will piece together the past and the present to recognise all those that have been helped, those that have made it possible and future achievements.

Stuart Nevill, Chief Executive, said: “Our 30th anniversary event is not just a celebration of those we have supported but also recognises the tremendous hurdles we have faced together with all of our supporters to help some of the most vulnerable people in our community over the last 30 years.

“Our founder, Penny Wade’s words, ‘No-one should die because they don’t have a home’ are still just as relevant today.”

The night will feature a multi-media presentation and panel debate on the topic of homelessness, with guest speakers, including MP Vince Cable, also patron of the charity and film director, Daisy May Hudson.

Guests will be treated to a food buffet and magician while listening to live music performances from Helena April, Tullio Joseph and Manontroppo.

Throughout the night there will also be a silent auction for guests to bid on a range of prizes donated by local businesses to help raise more funds.

A client who was helped by the charity said: “When SPEAR found me, my life couldn’t have been worse - rough sleeping on Richmond Hill, cold, blocking everything out.

“SPEAR quickly moved me into their hostel where I could enjoy feeling safe, eating well and being warm and dry."

The charity aims to find temporary accommodation, jobs and even permanent lodging for the boroughs homeless as well as offering legal services, drug and alcohol support and advice about benefits and debts.

“I’ve never looked back, and never spent a night on the streets since - there is nothing like SPEAR in other boroughs and I feel lucky to know them – they give me what I need and more and I wouldn’t be here without them,” the client added.

“SPEAR has helped me to understand I am not to blame for my situation, I feel for the first time that I have hope for my future”

Between April 2016 and March 2017, SPEAR identified 128 new rough sleepers with a growing number of these sleepers being connected to Richmond – 89 of which they resettled into accommodation.

Getting rough sleepers into accommodation is the main priority for the charity, however, with more rough sleepers having complex health and social care needs this is becoming more difficult and new funds are required.

To book tickets for the event or to find out more visit http://bit.ly/SPEAR30Tickets