Shoe shop calls for old trainers to help homeless get on their feet

Thursday 18 February 2021

A local shoe shop owner is calling on islanders to donate their unused, or unwanted, trainers in an effort to give homeless people in Jersey some new footwear during the winter.

Audrey Laurens-Chalmers, owner of Fit Footwear Central, is setting up a new project to repair trainers donated by islanders, before passing them onto local charities.

Having already raised over £7,000 for free school meals with her daughter Mollie, Audrey isn't stopping in her efforts to try and help islanders in need, having witnessed some of the island's homeless population struggling on the streets in the freezing winter.

"I see quite a few wandering around - I can only imagine what that’s like," she said.

"So I thought, how difficult can it be to restore these trainers that have been used? Then I did a bit of research and realised it’s not that difficult at all if you’ve got the right equipment."

Taking her cues from a shoe repairman in Stoke-On-Trent she had read about online, Audrey has already ordered herself the relevant equipment, including a steamer, a shoe cleaning kit, sponges, and brushes, which will be coming to her this Thursday, where she can begin trying out the first repairs.

To build up a supply, she is now calling on islanders to drop off their tatty trainers, or simply ones with some wear and tear that have been left aside - though she is currently only looking for adult-sized trainers specifically.

Pictured: Around 200 islanders are currently believed to be living homeless, not taking into account the fact the number sleeping rough is unknown.

Once she has repaired the shoes, she will then be spreading them between three of Jersey's homelessness charities - the Shelter Trust, Sanctuary Trust and Causeway Association - to make sure they go directly to the islanders that need them most.

Earlier this month, it was revealed that around 200 islanders are currently believed to be homeless, with 56 deemed 'homeless' on the Housing Gateway, and 119 being looked after by Shelter Trust, with a further 19 supported in different locations. 

Even with these figures, the amount of rough sleepers around the island remains unknown.

In January, the Jersey Homelessness Strategic Board published a report recommending that the Government make the emergency housing team set up during the pandemic into a permanent fixture.

Pictured: Audrey and her daughter Mollie previously raised over £7,000 for free school meal vouchers.

Sarah Tumelty of Sanctuary Trust, which helps to look after and support homeless men on the island, said that she thought the Audrey's initiative was "a great idea." 

Explaining some of the issues it will help address, she told Express: "We had someone who had work lined up in construction but didn’t have any work boots.

Although she added that there was a "generous" response after they called for help online, with four people wanting to pay for new boots, she added: "If somebody was repairing them, that would make it so much easier."

With an increase in people needing support expected as winter lets end, increased pressure on mental health, and many losing their jobs and income without a framework, Sarah added that Audrey's gesture would be a "really helpful" way to assist the men they support.

Pictured: The Government were recommended by the Homeless Strategic Board that they make their emergency housing team permanent.

Similarly, Orla Nugent of the Causeway Association, which helps accommodate women who are pregnant or with child but find themselves homeless, said that Audrey's idea would be of help to those who come to them with limited means, especially those with children.

"Some people who are working, probably on minimum wage, don't have any spare cash to spend on themselves; a lot of the ladies when they do come are in real hardship," she explained.

"With something like £50 a week to live on with kids, shoes and clothing is not something they'd spend money on - if they had the money, it would be spent on the child."

She continued: "This makes their life slightly better - they feel quite alone, that people don't think about them; when people do this, it makes them feel there is kind, decent people out there."

A spokesperson for Shelter Trust said: "The Shelter Trust provides accommodation, support and a way forward for homeless people. One of the areas where we help our service users is with clothing and footwear. Fit Footwear’s great idea means real help for homeless men and women. 

"The support from our community during covid–19 has been generous and Fit Footwear with many local businesses have offered practical help for our service users."

Anyone wishing to donate trainers can drop them off at Fit Footwear Central at 16-18 Seale Street on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays from 11:30 to 13:30.