The Cornish charity happy to keep its help hidden

The team behind a charity that helps people who are in need of furniture and household goods has said they are currently busier than ever.

Hidden Help takes donations from the public then repairs and recycles them at its base at Scorrier, Cornwall.

Some vintage items donated are sold to help to fund the project. Most were made available to people referred to the charity by social services and other statutory bodies, staff said.

The aim was to support people given the keys to an unfurnished property with the things they needed to live for free, everything from large piece of furniture to tableware and cutlery, they added.

The founder of Hidden Help, Judy Backus, started her work in 2007 and set up the registered charity in 2021.

She said: "Last year, we helped 821 families. We currently have around 60 referrals per month now.

"About 40% of people are homeless and 11% are people who have fled from domestic violence."

Adrian "Wally" Sanders, who has been working as a driver with the charity for 16 months, said it was very rewarding, adding: "People need help and it's great to deliver. They're always very appreciative.

"Getting into some of the new estates is a little bit difficult, but, when you get there, the reward is that they get everything that they need, or everything we can provide.

"It makes you feel very good at the end of the day. It is a very worthwhile cause."

One Hidden Help client, who wished to stay anonymous, said he got help from the charity after he had been made homeless by a fire, then moved into a temporary rental flat.

He said: "After months of getting the money together to move into this place, I found myself in an empty flat: no bed, no cutlery, nothing in the kitchen, no furniture whatsoever.

"It was lovely to be there, but I spent the last two weeks sitting on boxes.

"Someone lent me an airbed, which was lovely to have because it was so much better than the floor."

One referral to Hidden Help had an instant impact - the client said: "I got a call from a lovely chap called Wally who said he was going to be delivering me some bits and pieces.

"He opened the back of the van and - lo and behold - it was absolutely jam packed, full of all sorts of goodies. All the things that I was craving.

"It's so practical, the help, because it's all the things that I really needed. Tiny things like a spatula, like a saucepan, glasses, mugs; little things like that have been a massive help."

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