A MAN living with terminal cancer is calling for people to help him feed the homeless.

Frank Charles, of Chester Road, Wanstead, is well-known throughout Redbridge and Waltham Forest for his relentless charity work.

Despite having stage four non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, the 53-year-old has his own charity, which he set up in memory of his son Ashley who died at 23-months in 1989 of a rare bowel disorder.

Mr Charles goes back to the ward where he was treated at Whipps Cross Hospital in Leytonstone every Christmas to give the children there presents.

But a year and a half ago Mr Charles added cycling across east London feeding the homeless to his volunteer work.

Every Thursday evening he and his wife make up breakfast bags with sandwiches, fruit, and bottles of water, which he delivers to homeless people in Leytonstone, Stratford, and Plaistow in the early hours of Friday.

He said: “Last week I got to the Stratford Centre at about 6.30am and there were 27 people sleeping inside, just on cardboard boxes.

"They have to leave by 7.30am because security tell them to get out.

“Homeless people’s lives are hard enough, so if there’s anything we can do to make things a bit easier then we should try our best to do that.”

Mr Charles found himself homeless at the age of 18 when he was growing up in Waltham Forest.

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Mr Charles delivers breakfast to homeless people on his bike every Friday

He said: “I only slept rough for just over a week, but it felt like a lifetime.

“Luckily I was fortunate enough to be given a place in a hostel in Walthamstow, but even then I was there for two years sharing a room with three other people – it seemed like an eternity.

“But from there I was given a flat, I found work, and I went on to win national awards for my charity work and do things like carry the Olympic torch.

“I always tell the homeless people I meet not to give up hope, because that’s what kept me going.”

With the help of two couples in Wanstead the serial fundraiser can give out just over a dozen breakfast bags on a Friday, but is calling for more donations to be able to provide breakfasts three times a week.

He has just received a monthly commitment from his charity’s partner the Haslers Foundation in Loughton but wants more businesses in Wanstead and beyond to help his “Feed the Streetz” project.

He added: “These people can go for days without eating anything.

“Anyone who can get involved will help someone who has literally nothing.

“Showing them that small bit of kindness could be what gets them out of the bad situation they’re in.

“Wanstead is such a caring and generous community, so anything anyone can offer would be so gratefully received.”

  • If you would like to donate money, food, or clothes to help the homeless in east London call Frank Charles on: 07782 218112.