Those living in a Belfast men's hostel have created 100 meals for vulnerable people living on the streets in the city.
The Harmoni Hostel on Utility Street, which provides beds and support to up to 60 men, has been working with the Urban Community Chef in order to provide meals to vulnerable people in Belfast.
It stems from the hostel's Keys to Life project, which sees those living there take part in weekly cooking classes, along with an array of other activities, which are designed to get people back on their feet and help them with qualifications for work.
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Harmoni is a member organisation of Homeless Connect and the event was held to mark Homeless Awareness Week 2022.
Dylan was one of the members of the hostel taking part in the project and said that he would get involved in all of the activities that the hostel runs believing they are very beneficial.
Dylan, who is originally from Coleraine, has been staying at the hostel since May after he was told to leave the assisted living facility that he was in.
Speaking to Belfast Live, the 24-year-old said that in the past he has had problems with alcohol and drugs for around 10 years, but has been determined to overcome these and has now been drug free for five months.
Dylan said: "I came down to Belfast about two years ago and had been living in an assisted living facility before I was told to leave for reasons that he did not think were fair.
"After this I started having issues with alcohol and drugs again, but since I started living at Harmoni Hostel I have been clean for the past five months and I am determined to stay on track. Thankfully I have friends who are very good at making sure that I don't fall back into my old ways.
"When I was 17 I ended up living on the streets because of the problems I was having and have vowed that I will never be there again in my life.
"The hostel here can be quite strict in what you are allowed to do, but I have found the support from Holly and Derek has been particularly good and I would take part in all of the activities and courses that are run here because I find that they are a real boost.
"I can't understand people who don't want to get involved and would rather spend all day in their rooms doing nothing.
"I am not sure what the reaction will be on the streets when we are giving out the food that we have made, but I am hoping that it all goes down well."
Mark Humphreys has been running the Urban Community Chef scheme for seven years, which sees him go to schools, hostels and community organisations to provide cooking classes.
He said: "I come down to the hostel every week to work with the men living here and help them with cooking and understanding how to cook on a budget.
"Today we are doing a bit more than normal cooking classes, where we are making stew that members of the hostel will take out into Belfast for those who are vulnerable and living on the streets."
Holly Fellowes, the Keys To Life project manager, said that its aim is to provide supportive outlets for the men living at the hostel so that they are able to move on and find more stability in their lives.
She said that the project is very flexible and caters to what those at the hostel want to do with activities ranging from cooking classes to mindfulness sessions and hikes.
Holly said: "There are 60 beds at the Harmoni Hostel with the ages of those staying here ranging from 18 to 70.
"Because of this, we make sure that our Keys to Life project is as flexible as possible because it is a participant led project and only does things that those staying here want to be a part of.
"Today, we are taking part in a cooking class with Mark Humphreys, the Urban Community Chef, with the aim of making 100 batches of stew that we are able to take out and give to those living on the streets as a way of providing additional support.
"These cooking classes are also a brilliant way of supporting participants, as at the end of the classes they are able to attain their level two food hygiene qualifications that can help them get back into work."
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