A BASINGSTOKE charity, which does crucial work to support homelessness, is on the search for more health professional volunteers. 

Based at the Camrose Centre, Forgotten Feet, is a nationwide charity which aims to provide regular free footcare support to those who need it most, such as homeless and isolated people. 

Soon to be the coordinator of the charity, Iain Cooper is making it his mission to help continue supporting the homeless people of Basingstoke who have no choice but to wear the same shoes and socks for months at a time. 

Iain has run Rougemont Therapy Centre for the past eight years and works alongside Julian House, a homeless charity in Basingstoke.

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He said: "I have a strong passion for homelessness, and it scares me that it can happen to anyone, so I want to do all I can to help people in this situation."

"I can't put into words what our work means to me. I recently donated a couple of Superdry coats to the homeless charity Julian House, which was brand new so I could have easily sold them on Facebook. But I then saw a man at our centre wearing the same coat I donated explaining how warm he felt and it was an amazing feeling to give to someone who needed this coat, rather than wanted." 

Since the covid pandemic, Jane Brown, who is the current coordinator of the charity until she soon retires, explained that the charity has lost many volunteers. 

Once Jane retires, this will leave just Iain and one other volunteer at the charity. 

Basingstoke Gazette: The volunteers at work, helping someone with their foot health.The volunteers at work, helping someone with their foot health. (Image: Iain Cooper)

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Iain explained the charity's urgency to have more volunteers join their team and added that they will always put measures in place to keep them safe whilst they work in close interaction with others. 

As temperatures are also set to drop over the next few weeks, the charity is also in desperate need of socks and shoe donations, particularly larger sizes from eight onwards. 

To volunteer at the charity, you have to be a foot health professional, a chiropodist or a podiatrist. 

For more information concerning volunteering or to donate to Forgotten Feet, call Iain on 07769477033.