A RUNNING club dashed in to Threshold Housing Link to donate piles of tinned soup for the homeless.

The Swindon Striders co-ordinated the collection of the donations and dropped them all off at the charity's Health and Wellness Juices Recovery Cafe in the town centre.

The running club's captain Darren Petitt said: "As a club, we are very community-oriented and our members like to support worthy local causes.

"We are always moved by the fact that when we’re out together running throughout the Swindon community, we see so many tents and people that are so exposed and forced to sleep rough on the streets and in the parks of this town.

"It’s particularly harsh at this time of year as the weather now gets colder and wetter and the temperatures drop severely at night."

Mark Mutlow used to be homeless and has been supported significantly by Threshold.

He now volunteers at the charity's cafe.

He said: "The care that others show you makes all the difference. My situation has now totally changed as a result of the support I’ve received from Threshold.

"There’s, frankly, not enough support out there when you are forced to move onto the streets.

"It’s a harsh reality sleeping rough and being street homeless.

"Threshold supported me on my path of personal transformation and now I feel my life is getting back on track.

"Through the support I’ve received, I’m now not living on the streets or in a resettlement hostel, I have now successfully moved into my own flat.

"With care and compassion and sincere support, my life has changed for the better.

Michael Keenan from Threshold said: "It's wonderful to feel the tremendous support of so many caring people striving to make a positive difference.

"We are most grateful to be able to pass these donations on to all our service users in our resettlement hostels and through our outreach team that engage directly with those that are sleeping rough and street homeless.

"Swindon Striders are real community champions that are motivated to improve the lives of those that are struggling on the street.

"It’s great to work in partnership with community groups like the Striders. Where there is collective will, a local strategy and collaborative working, we really can address the challenging and complex social issue of homelessness."

Threshold is currently preparing for the Big SleepOut 2018 on December 7, which it's calling 'the biggest solidarity event of the year in Swindon'.

Everyone who signs up can raise money for the charity by sleeping out in the cold for one night together to better understand what it's like to be homeless.

To register for the event as an individual or as part of a corporate team, or to find out more about it, visit thl.org.uk