Power NI has handed out funding to a volunteer group in Belfast which helps the city's homeless.

Hope Harbour secured £1,000 through Power NI's Brighter Communities initiative. It is an entirely voluntary-based group of 30 people who work every day in Belfast to provide food, clothing, toiletries and support to homeless people in Belfast.

Relying solely on private donations and support, Hope Harbour runs a station in city centre each evening to provide snack packs and hot beverages to those in need, as well as their outreach team travelling round the city centre to give food to homeless people.

The funding from Power NI will enable Hope Harbour to purchase sleeping bags and tents for the homeless as well as purchasing additional thermal pump flasks to provide hot drinks.

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Commenting on the funding, Carla Black at Hope Harbour said: "With the funding we're able to purchase additional thermal pump flasks and an additional table for our station, which is going to help our team in enhancing what we do each night. We're here from Monday to Sunday at our station in Belfast to provide food, hot drinks, clothing, toiletries and pet food.

"We're also able to purchase sleeping bags and tents with the funding, both of which we've noticed are more expensive this year. In the winter months sleeping bags and tents are even more vital, and this funding is helping us to purchase as many as we can for those who need.

"Our group of volunteers work so hard each night in Belfast, and we're delighted to have been chosen as a Brighter Communities winner to help us continue doing what we're doing."

Ashleigh O'Neill from Power NI added: "The entire team at Hope Harbour should be incredibly proud of what they’re doing. Their generosity is so admirable and we're glad to be supporting an organisation that is doing such important work in Belfast."

The Brighter Communities initiative started in 2018 and since its establishment has donated over £40,000 to a range of bespoke groups and organisations across Northern Ireland.