Apprentice at The Cedars care home collects clothes for homeless charity

A care home apprentice was so moved by the plight of homeless people in her local area that she has collected three boxes of clothes, toiletries and food for them.

Beth Hopwood, 18, who works at Anchor’s The Cedars in Stoke, has chosen National Apprenticeship Week to collect adult clothing for homeless shelter Norsaca.

She has been helped by fellow apprentices Sophie Hill, who works in the home’s housekeeping team, and Ellie Brereton, from catering, who made batches of sandwiches to be handed out to the homeless on Wednesday.

Beth said: “I felt that not enough was being done to support homeless people in Stoke so I chose this week to highlight the great work apprentices do in care homes while also helping the most needy in the local community.

“Every day I help older people from Stoke so I know what a positive impact I’ve had on their lives. I wanted to do the same for the town’s homeless people.

“I’m so pleased with the response. Staff and the families of residents at Anchor’s The Cedars have donated clothes as have friends and people I don’t know following my appeal on Snapchat.”

Beth, who has been an apprentice since November last year, said she wanted to work in the care sector to follow in the footsteps of her mum and nan.

She said: “I’m now the third generation of my family who work in care and I absolutely love my job. It has given me the opportunity to develop as a person and help society’s most vulnerable people. This homeless appeal is an extension of that.

“Every day is different and I feel I’m making a positive contribution to the wellbeing of the older people living here.”