Hundreds of scarves donated for the homeless in Great Yarmouth’s St George’s Park

Scarves donated for homeless people in Great Yarmouth's St George's Park. Photo: George Ryan (Image: Archant)

An event was organised by Leigh Storey using Facebook to encourage people to come down to the park today (December 3) and leave warm items for those in need.

'It was brilliant,' she said adding: 'Loads of people came down to donate their scarves.'

The 45-year-old who lives in Lichfield Road was once homeless herself in London, and said she knew how comforting a warm hat could be.

She arranged a similar event last year for people to donate coats. It was a big success, and many of the town's homeless are still wearing the jackets that were donated, so she decided to launch a similar effort, but this time with scarves, hats and gloves.

She spoke to some people who slept rough in the town centre and told them to come along and help themselves to what they needed.

One young homeless woman picked up a hat and scarf, and said with a beaming smile, 'I'll be warm now.'

Former rough sleeper Adrian Brown, 61, visited the park and said it was a fantastic initiative.

Mr Brown used to sleep in a tent near the town's ASDA supermarket for four years, after many more years of homelessness before.

Now he has a job and lives in a bedsit in Middle Market Road.

'I got used to the cold,' he said. But he knew the dangers and recounted a story of a friend of his who died after sleeping in the cold on a bench in the park.

The number of homeless people in the borough has increased dramatically in recent months.

At last count, Mrs Storey said there were around 50 people sleeping on the streets in Great Yarmouth. The figure could be much higher as those are just the people who are most visible.