Ex-England footballer and Newham native Sol Campbell returned to his roots last week during a visit to a homeless charity.
Sol, who was raised in Stratford, met with staff and residents at Caritas Anchor House in Barking Road.
They discussed the charity’s aim to support vulnerable members of the community, providing them with shelter and getting them back into employment
Current resident Richard, 39, explained how the organisation helped him.
He said: “I came to Caritas Anchor House ten weeks ago. I was sleeping on the street and struggling with drug addiction. The staff here have been brilliant and the support means that I now have a safe place to sleep, am clean of heroin use, and I’m trying to move on.”
Richard added that he was now volunteering at the charity.
He said: “Without Caritas Anchor House I would still be on drugs and probably in prison. The charity has turned it all around for me in such a short space of time. I can’t thank them enough.”
Last year the charity provided a home for 237 people and helped 37 per cent of residents secure employment.
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