A new chapter has started for a charity supporting homeless people in Stoke-on-Trent after it moved to a new venue.

The Macari Foundation has moved all its pods from Regent Road in Hanley to a more spacious site in Stoke.

The pods – which provided much-needed shelter for homeless people during the covid pandemic and beyond – are being placed in storage.

In an update on the Macari Foundation website Lou Macari said: "The last few days have been very full on and we couldn't have done it without the help of Diamond Freight – they have been fantastic. It has been a huge job moving all the pods but the team carried out an extremely slick operation.

"Since the pandemic, we have had the opportunity to think ahead and decide what we can do best now to help combat the awful situation of homelessness in Stoke-on-Trent. It is the beginning of a new chapter for us at our new place, the Victoria, on Fletcher Road, and we are looking forward to supporting our guests in the best way possible."

Former Stoke City manager, Lou Macari, has been supporting homeless people in the area since 2016 (Google).

The former Stoke City manager has been working to help homeless people in the area turn their lives around since he saw a news bulletin on the issue in 2016. The Macari Centre now provides accommodation and meals.

Guests were provided with accommodation in "living pods" during the pandemic's social distancing restrictions in order to reduce the spread of the virus. Professor Chris Whitty, then England's Chief Medical Officer, visited the centre and hailed the innovative work it was doing.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council was not involved with the move to the Victoria but it has welcomed the Macari Centre's work to support city residents. Councillor Chris Robinson, cabinet member for housing, said: "We have been working closely with the Macari Foundation ever since it became clear that they could not stay at their former premises in Regent Road, Hanley.

"One of our key priorities is to ensure that vulnerable people in the city are not made homeless and we are grateful to the Macari Centre for their contribution. Only by working together with organisations like this are we able to deliver much-needed support to our residents and help them get back on their feet."

TO FIND OUT HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON YOUR BILLS THIS SUMMER - CLICK THE 'HELP FOR HOUSEHOLDS' BANNER ABOVE THIS ARTICLE. 

READ MORE: Electric vehicle charging points to be installed on Stoke-on-Trent retail park 

Free from clickbait, pop-up ads and unwanted surveys, Stoke Nub News is a quality online newspaper for our city.

Subscribe to our FREE weekly newsletter email HERE - just click the 'SIGN UP' button.

Please consider following Stoke Nub News on Facebook or Twitter.