Businesses have teamed up with a volunteer group to help the homeless.

Among firms supporting Medway Street Angels, which helps provide food, basic essentials and support for rough sleepers, is the City Wall Wine Bar, Rochester High Street.

The wine bar gives tea, coffee, water and energy drinks to volunteers, for which volunteers usually have to pay out of their own pockets.

Staff also help the Street Angels refill their flasks with hot water when their stocks run low.

Rough sleepers rarely remove their shoes and socks, which can lead to painful foot conditions so Paul Miller, of Strood Chiropody and Podiatry, at St Mary’s Medical Centre, Strood, is offering free treatment to the homeless.

Pips of Rochester, a traditional grocery store in the High Street, has given surplus fruit and veg to volunteers.

The grocer has also offered to buy extra produce at cost price to help feed the homeless.

The Ship Inn, Upnor, has donated two big tubs of broccoli and Stilton soup, and potato and leek soup, for the group’s soup kitchen. All the vegetables were donated to the pub by The Chop Shop in Rochester.

The Hope Centre, Rochester High Street, donated a number of pastries and cakes.

A comedy night has been organised at The Windmill, Ratcliffe Highway, Hoo, to raise money for the group.

All the proceeds will be used to buy items from the Angels’ Amazon wishlist.

Rough sleepers can also have their clothes dry cleaned for free at Johnsons in Rochester High Street.

Penenden Deli, Penenden Heath, Maidstone, gives the group a basket of sandwiches and cakes each week, which are handed out by a rough sleeper.

Volunteer team leader Neil Charlick said: “Medway Street Angels started off as friends going out and helping the homeless and it has turned into an operation.

“Without donations from business and from individuals, who give us things like socks, we wouldn’t be able to do this.

“Thank you to everyone who is helping.”

For more information about the group, search Medway Street Angels on Facebook.