Stoke legend's homelessness charity celebrates bittersweet anniversary
Lou Macari's Foundation rings in its 10th year by assessing the state of homelessness in Stoke-on-Trent, and looking to grow
A Stoke-on-Trent legend's homelessness charity is marking a decade since opening - but it's a bittersweet anniversary.
Macari Foundation was set up by former Manchester United footballer and Stoke City manager Lou Macari, to tackle homelessness in Stoke-on-Trent.
But founder Macari says the homelessness problem hasn't improved in that decade, and that it may be getting worse.
Macari said, by way of explanation: ""We probably didn't have the same problem 10 years ago, drug-wise, as there is now."
Community and Fundraising Manager Steve Hunt said: "We probably see somebody different on the streets every single day.
"All ages."
Hunt also noted seeing a spike in unhoused women and military veterans.
Support worker Carol Durose, who has been with the Macari Centre ever since it opened, emphasised the importance of humanity when seeing homeless people out and about.
Durose said: "The general public out there sees people on the street begging and tapping for money, but all those people have all got some kind of story that has put them in that place in the first place."
Despite the ongoing problems, Macari and staff are still proud of the work they have done.
In the founder's words: "Taking people off the street, that makes a difference."