A rough sleeper went from hitting ‘rock bottom’ and living in a tent to feeling ’12 feet high’ with friends and a flat thanks to a Merseyside community street kitchen saving people from starving and dying on the streets.

‘Hope for the Hungry’ has been hailed as a “lifeline” by vulnerable people who have been fed and re-housed thanks to the help of a generous group of volunteers from in and around Birkenhead.

The Community Interest Company (CIC) was set up by local couple Stefanie and Chris Parsons, who were inspired to do something after handing out excess food to rough sleepers on Boxing Day in 2016.

Speaking about that night Stefanie, 32, said: “We were having a picky day with all the family. It got to about six o’clock in the evening and my little boy said ‘we can’t throw that food away when there’s so many people on the streets going hungry’.

“He was only five at the time. You don’t really think at that age they are taking it in but its there in front of their eyes.

“We boxed it all up, we went into Birkenhead Town Centre. There was more people sat out on the streets than we had food boxes, we ended up going to McDonald's to feed them.

“From there it did not stop. We thought someone should set up camp somewhere. So we did it."

Hope for the Hungry now meet twice a week outside Birkenhead Town Hall on Hamilton Square, on Thursdays between 7pm and 9pm and on Saturdays between 7pm and 8pm.

It is made up of a growing and dedicated group of volunteers who hand out home made hot food, drinks, cakes and packed lunches to people in need.

Mum-of-two Stefanie said demand has grown as word of mouth about the service has spread.

But she has also noticed more and more people being plunged deeper into hardship, particularly as a result of the Universal Credit benefit reform.

However, she said the popularity of their group isn’t just about the food, with people travelling from as far as eight miles away in Wavertree, Liverpool for some company.

She said: “Loneliness is massive. This has brought people a lot closer together. A lot of people who use the service just want someone to talk to, it’s about company for them even if they are not hungry.

“We have one man in his 70s who comes all the way from Wavertree on the train. He will have soup, a cup of tea, or take a packed lunch. It’s just a nice atmosphere.”

One person who says his life has been ‘saved’ by coming across Hope for the Hungry is Kevin Wylde, who was made homeless after his wife of 30 years died ‘in his arms’ after suffering an aneurysm last year,

The 54-year-old said: “If it wasn’t for this I don’t know what I would do. It’s a life line. When my wife died it was like a big black hole swallowed me up. I didn’t think I would come out of it. I was depressed, living from day to day.

“There’s not much help out for us. If i didn’t have this I’d starve. i’d have nothing to eat. We all get each other and we all get on with each other because we are all in the same boat.”

As well as providing people in need with food and company, Hope for the Hungry has helped many rough sleepers get back on their feet by putting them in touch with housing services.

One of those is Colin Rattray, who said he was “right at rock bottom” and having suicidal thoughts before he came across Hope for the Hungry.

He said: “I was homeless for two years, down and out. I heard about the organisation and they helped me tremendously change my life a round.

“I got myself flat and now i’m looking for a job. They are wonderful. They come out in all weathers, Thursdays and Saturdays. Without them I would basically be dead. I was in my shell, i was depressed, now I am here entertaining everyone. I feel 12 foot high with these people.

“I was at rock bottom living in a tent and nobody loved me, now I’m well fed, I have a positive attitude. It’s done me a world of good.”

Steve O’Brien, 40, also said he didn’t think he’d be alive without the organisation, and blasted the lack of government support for those who fall on hard times.

He is one of many who described Hope for Hungry as a ‘lifeline’ in the face of crippling austerity measures and increased hardship as a result of Universal Credit.

One homeless man, who wished to be kept anonymous, said: “Politicians don’t know. They’re out there earning something like £175k a year, money which we will never know in our life time.

“They’re out of touch. They don’t live in the real world. I used to be middle class with a good job, all of a sudden something happens and it can literally take 5 seconds, like a relationships breakdown and you can be homeless. The system is wrong.”

Stefanie said the group will often feed 80 people a night, compared to an average of 50 when they first started handing out food a few years ago.

On Thursday they had one of their busiest nights yet, handing out 120 packed lunches

Urging people to join them she said: “Don’t be afraid, the service is there for everyone who needs it no matter what your situation. You don’t have to explain yourself. No one should go without a hot meal or a drink or some company.”

You can make a donation to the group by contacting them through Facebook here