A charity providing lifelines in the form of furniture is facing financial pressure after its rent was hiked.

A short walk from the end of the Central Line, Epping Forest Reuse maintains a large shop floor packed with soft furnishings, white goods and home fittings.

In addition to selling second-hand furniture to shoppers on the hunt for a bargain, Reuse slashes the sticker price - sometimes removing it completely - when one of its 50 referral services sends someone in need its way.

Matt Beckett has been running Reuse from its Bower Hill base since he packed up his fishing supplies business five years ago.

He said: We are a reused furniture sales charity.

"We help families and individuals on low incomes and with other problems they may have in their life, whether that's drug or alcohol problems, fleeing domestic violence or being the victims of a fire.

"Fundamentally, we try and make people's houses more homely."

Each day the Reuse van makes two trips around the district to pick up donated items.

As well as helping more than 1,200 families last year, it saved 200 tonnes of furniture from landfill.

Once collected, it is brought into the workshop, brought up to a saleable standard and then delivered to people's houses.

The impact the charity's work can have on people's lives is underscored by letters of testimony kept securely in Reuse's office.

One, from a single parent of two young boys who found herself homeless following eviction, tells of how she visited Reuse after the council moved her to a unfurnished one bedroom flat.

She wrote: "I went there one morning and was greeted by a lovely lady called Lee who told me to look around.

"After doing so for about five minutes I realised I couldn't afford anything and I broke down crying.

"She sat me down with a cup of coffee and a mince pie and I told her my story.

"Such a lovely person giving me her time and trying to help. It was so refreshing as I felt very lost, alone and depressed about my situation.

"She gave me the online web address for the Essential Living Fund and also told me she may be able to help move my stuff, as I had no money for removals and I was a woman on my own who had moved twice since October 7.

"I went online and filled out the application and within half an hour was granted what I'd asked for.

"I couldn't believe it. It was like winning the lottery.

"I can't believe how amazing the charity is.

"Without it my Christmas with my children would have been very depressing.

"I wouldn't have been able to cook anything or keep any good fresh. My boys are more settled and our flat at last feels like a home, something I haven't felt since we were evicted."

To continue to affect people's lives in such a dramatic manner, Reuse needs help.

At the beginning of the year the charity was told its rent would be increased by £10,000 a year and an additional £1,000 a year after that.

As well as looking or a tenant to rent out one of its room, Reuse is asking the public to donate.

Mr Beckett added: "Being a non profit organisation our priority is covering rent and staff cost and then anything above that we can give back to the community.

"We try and give as much as we can free of charge.

"The more money we make ourselves the more families and individuals we can help."

To donate, go to www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/lee-tant-4