BROMSGROVE’S busking bobby has launched an appeal for a charity storage space after being inundated by generous donations.
PC Ian Northcott, founder of Socks and Chocs for the Homeless, has recently been offered 8,000 pairs of socks from three sock manufactures but he unfortunately has nowhere to put them.
Ian is now appealing to all kind-hearted storage unit owners in Bromsgrove to help the charity by donating or lending a space for the cause.
So far this year Ian and his team have helped around 2,200 homeless people by giving them a new pair of socks, 230 individuals with sleeping bags and 500 others with miscellaneous items including gloves, hats and chocolate.
Socks and Chocs for the Homeless is dedicated to making the lives of those living on the street more comfortable all-year-round, especially on Christmas Day, in the Birmingham, Worcester, Wolverhampton and Coventry areas.
Ian’s house has now become overrun with donations and he cannot distribute them fast enough so he is in dire need of somewhere big enough to fit all the socks, hats, gloves, sleeping bags and chocolates he has collected.
The charity is a non-profit making organisation which relies on volunteers giving their own time and money to keep it going.
Although socks and chocs is completely unconnected to Ian’s work as a police officer it has helped massively to break down the barriers and improve relationships between homeless people and the police.
Ian first earned his alias as the busking bobby when he was on duty and began chatting to a busker before grabbing his guitar and giving an impromptu performance of Oasis’ ‘Wonderwall’.
A crowd quickly gathered and the filmed piece was later uploaded to YouTube, where it went viral and has been viewed more than 750,000 times.
Ian is now using his singing talents to help raise awareness of the charity and donations for Birmingham’s homeless.
Ian said: “Lots of people have been getting involved in socks and chocs but now we are struggling for storage space.
“We are not a registered charity and we do not take cash or profits at all.
“This will help me and my team so much and it will help so many people who are homeless with their foot care.
“It feels fantastic when you get a new pair of socks, most people do not think about it.
“Sometimes something so simple can make such a difference – sometimes it gets to the point where they are falling of their feet.
“The ethos behind socks and chocs is lots of people doing a little bit, not a few doing a lot.
“This result has shown what can be achieved when people pull together.”
Visit www.socksandchocs.co.uk for more.
