A man who was homeless for two years is raising £250,000 to build a 24/7 community hub aimed at getting people off the streets and teaching them life skills such as cooking, cleaning, paying bills and working. Known as "Britain's Kindest Plumber", James Anderson has helped hundreds of in-need strangers during the cost of living crisis by fixing their boilers free and giving out food packages.
He is now planning to expand the reach of his Community Interest Company DEPHER (Disabled and Elderly Heating Emergency Repairs) by creating the new centre in Burnley. James left his mother's home in Liverpool at the age of 18 and headed for London, only to end up living on the streets between the capital city and Bristol for two years.
"It was a terrible experience. I got assaulted, spat at, beaten up and nearly raped. I would not wish anything like that to happen to anyone," he told the Mirror.
