JJ Carpentry Service helps to warm up the homeless

JJ Carpentry Services, a carpentry and building company based in Heathfield, East Sussex, recently fitted a new kitchen for a customer who kindly agreed that the old kitchen units could be donated to a local charity in need. In these challenging times, the company wanted to help a local cause by offering free fitting and improvements, as well as supplying the kitchen units.

They were inundated with requests, but decided to help Warming Up The Homeless. From their distribution centre in Bexhill. They prepare meals for over 1,000 homeless and emergency housed people a week. This was done using a small kitchen with only two electric hobs and a rice maker. Along with a newly donated range oven, JJ Carpentry Services knew they could help Warming Up The Homeless achieve so much more with a better functioning kitchen.

It took JJ Carpentry Services three days and a team of carpenters, fitters, a plumber and an electrician to complete the work. A new sink was fitted to the packed lunch preparation area where hundreds of sandwiches and pastry breakfasts are prepared every day by a team of volunteers. This area now runs more efficiently and hygienically with a large sink, drainer and storage.

A large dresser made of solid walnut was reinforced with extra battening and secured to the wall of the main kitchen, making for a better storage solution for ingredients and utensils.

The staff and volunteers at Warming Up The Homeless were ever so grateful. Besnik, the Food Safety Lead is so excited to be able to add cooked meals such as roast dinners, lasagne and pies to his menu. Perfect during this cold snap.

The donated range oven fitted by JJ Carpentry Services

“I cannot tell you what this means to the charity and what this means to the thousands of people queuing up for a meal in sub-zero temperatures,” said Trudy Hampton, CEO of Warming Up The Homeless.

Louise Collins of JJ Carpentry Services, wants to offer a free supply and fit service to other charities in the future, using donated items and units, not just limited to kitchens. If you have a charity who would benefit, or materials which could be used for a charity project, please contact Louise at JJ Carpentry Services on louise@jjcarpentryservices.co.uk

You can watch a feature length video on the project on JJ Carpentry Services’ Facebook page: https://fb.watch/j8efoYOvkW/