A GWENT woman who started a campaign to help South Wales’ homeless has said the growth of the group to more than 400 members has been “phenomenal”.

Street Life Sarnies, which collects and donates items to homeless projects across Gwent, began in July last year with just 10 members.

The group quickly grew to 439 members and Claire Day, the Undy lady behind the group, said her house is now like a “little distribution centre” with daily collections and pick-ups.

Each week Mrs Day sends an online message with details of the items most needed by homeless projects in the area, including food, toiletries, clothing and sleeping bags.

Local residents pledge what items they can donate and arrange a pick-up or collection time with Mrs Day, who then sorts the items and passes them to different homeless projects in Newport, Chepstow, Cwmbran and now Cardiff.

Mrs Day, who has lived in Undy for nine years, started helping with the Street Life branch in Bristol before organising the group in Gwent which donated upwards of 70 sandwich packs a week.

She said: “Now every week without fail, our car is full to the brim. Just before Christmas it was manic. My lounge was being filled twice over by night and my husband and I would go out and distribute it.

“Every day my door knocks, morning and evening. I just can’t believe how much love and how much kindness there is out there. All you ever hear is the bad stuff but you cannot be depressed because every day something really lovely happens.”

Among the projects Street Life Sarnies helps is The Wallich, which operates in Newport, Blaenau Gwent and Monmouthshire, and Newport’s The Olive Branch.

Ceri Taylor, of the The Wallich, said: “Claire’s support has been invaluable to us. She came along while we were extremely low on donations and made a vital contribution to our rough sleepers and vulnerably housed.

"I have built up a good relationship with her and was able to discuss what type of donations we required. This enabled us to receive goods that met the needs of the clients such as toiletries, footwear, sleeping bags and hats.”