TWO ambulances packed full of winter clothing, sleeping bags, boots, toiletries and pet food have been handed out to homeless people in Oxford.

The donations were collected as part of the Winter Woollies Appeal, organised by Susan Baker, a paramedic, and her husband Pete, a technician, who are both based at South Central Ambulance Service's (SCAS) Didcot Resource Centre.

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Mrs Baker said: “Pete and I started the appeal in 2018 due to the increase in homelessness and the high number of homeless deaths throughout the country.

"Whilst we are out doing our job we encounter many homeless people sleeping rough in shop doorways or in alleyways and it is so heart breaking that we felt we could no longer sit back and do nothing.”

A team from SCAS gave the donations to homeless people in Oxford centre last Thursday, with the remaining goods dropped off at emergency shelters in the city.

Thanks to the generosity of SCAS staff across Oxfordshire, along with support from Boots in Wantage, Cancer Research in Wantage and Didcot pet shops, last Thursday Susan and Pete, along with Team Leader, Kate Ellis, and Clinical Operations Manager, Craig Heigold, took two ambulances packed full of winter clothing, sleeping bags, boots, toiletries and pet foods out in Oxford city centre to ensure that all the donations went directly to the people who really need them.Mrs Baker added: “The people we met on the street have nothing, yet their community spirit is humbling, their thanks heartfelt and after our visit last Thursday, they are just a little bit warmer. I would like to thank all of mine and Pete’s colleagues in SCAS for their donations and help in making this year’s appeal happen, to the local charities and shops that supported us, to SCAS for giving us the two ambulances to use and to Kate and Craig for their help on the night too. It’s an amazing cause and we really appreciate all your support.”