By Grimsby man spending Community Hero winnings on those who need it most
Grimsby man Glenn Sharp has won £650 worth of Tesco vouchers in the supermarket chain’s Community Hero competition, which he is using to purchase essential items for local charities and homeless people.
Glenn, who set up the group Grimsby Homeless Helpers in October, has used his Community Hero winnings to buy a new kettle and hair clippers for a local mental health charity, as well as £70 worth of essential items including tea, coffee, milk, hot chocolate and biscuits.
He has also spent between £20 and £30 each on food and essentials for five regular visitors of Grimsby Food Kitchen and a young man who has recently moved into shared accommodation.
Wendy Rogers-Thomas is a member of Glenn’s Grimsby Homeless Helpers Group and decided to nominate him for Tesco’s Community Hero competition three weeks ago.
She said: “I nominated him as he tirelessly works to support the homeless people in Grimsby, with clothing, tents, sleeping bags, food and whatever they need. Glenn is a great person to talk to for advice, as he himself has been an addict, but he has been completely clean for eight months now.
“He still suffers with mental health problems but doesn’t let this stop him from working tirelessly for absolutely nothing, just out of kindness and a wish to make a difference to those who have nothing.
“Three weeks before Christmas, I found one of my ex-students in the freezing cold, begging and homeless. I was so horrified and turned to Glenn for help and advice. He immediately got him a tent and sleeping bag to keep him and his dog warm and talked to me about addiction and the best way forward. The young man is now in a far better place and we have several people now helping to support him. Hopefully he will soon be housed.
“He is a true community champion, and due to his group, many people are now joining in to help the homeless in different ways. The offshoots from his group are spreading all over the town.”
Wendy added: “The guy deserves this win and it couldn’t go to a better person. He is spending all of it on the homeless. I have so much respect for him – clearly he deserved my nomination and the win. Glenn is my inspiration.”
When asked about how the win made him feel, Glenn responded: “When Wendy told me, I thought ‘Brilliant, I can carry on helping people’, because it’s not about winning for me, it’s about me being able to carry on helping. I suffer with mental health problems and have had no help through this entire lockdown and last year, so me helping people is helping me.”
Glenn’s ongoing fundraiser to help local homeless people can be found here.
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