Wallasey branch of Hays Travel in Liscard Way has teamed up with Birkenhead-based Charles Thompson’s Mission to help rough sleepers and people living in poverty

Staff at a travel agents in Wirral are allowing the outlet to be used as a drop-off point for donations to a charity for the homeless.

The Wallasey branch of Hays Travel in Liscard Way has teamed up with Birkenhead-based Charles Thompson’s Mission to help rough sleepers and people living in poverty.

People will be able to drop off small donations such as underwear, socks and toiletries which will then be handed over to the charity, which welcomes around 70 people through its door every day.

The team of six staff at Hays are also raising money for Charles Thompson’s Mission, as well as their own initiative to make up bag packs to distribute to the homeless in Liverpool.

They are planning a superhero themed 10-mile bike ride during the summer to smash their £500 fundraising target for the year. Store manager Michelle Alexander said: “We’ve recently moved on to the high street and it’s a much more visible location. It’s a bigger and much nicer shop.

“The customers are loving it and have said how fresh it looks. Each year we pick a charity to raise money for and this time around we wanted to help the homeless. We’re all lucky we’ve got homes to go back to after work but so many people are not as fortunate. It just doesn’t seem right.

“So, as part of this, we are supporting Charles Thompson’s Mission. I knew about the charity and what they do. I’d seen on Facebook that they were asking for anyone who would be willing to be a collection point so initially we got a tin on the counter for cash donations.

“Then I thought why not combine our charity work with them? With having such a visible store now we could become a drop-off point for small items.” 

Liam Mongey, assistant manager at Charles Thompson’s Mission, says the support from staff at Hays Travel Wallasey is invaluable. He added: “It’s fantastic that Hays Travel are doing this for us. We need that support. We’re a charity that relies on donations but we don’t go asking for it.

“Underwear, socks, toiletries, smaller items like that are always helpful. New, clean items such as these are the sorts of essential things which we can all take for granted and can make a big difference for people coming to us for help.”

Charles Thompson’s Mission was founded by philanthropist Charles Thompson in the late 19th century to help children living in poverty.