A SLIMMING group have shed pounds to raise pounds for a St Albans’ drop-in centre for homeless people.

The Sandpit Lane’s Slimming World group embarked on a 12-week sponsored slim to raise money for Centre 33, the homeless drop-in centre on Spicer Street.

Between the 60-70 members, they managed to lose 1,500lbs and raise �500 for the charity.

Liz Kay, Slimming World consultant for St Albans and Hemel Hempstead, said the group had outdone themselves in their quest to help an inspiring and vital charity. She said: “Once we’d raised the money, everyone wanted to know how else we could help Centre 33 and the charity gave us a list of food they use and everyone raided their cupboards and gave their all.

“We plan to adopt the charity in any future fundraising we do, because they are so important and they do such a great job.

“I’ve lived in St Albans for 30 years and it’s only now that I’ve become aware of the work that Centre 33 do and it would be great if more people were made aware and did what they could to support the charity.”

Centre 33 provides a year round drop-in centre for socially disadvantaged and homeless people in St Albans.

It opens every day, including holidays, and provides hot meals, drinks, shower facilities – providing towels and toiletries – and some second-hand clothes and blankets. It’s staffed and run by volunteers and aims to provide a warm and welcoming place for some of St Albans’ most deprived citizens.

Centre 33 is looking for volunteers to help for a couple of hours on weekday mornings or evenings. If anyone is interested in helping out, please contact the centre on 01727 830901.