An organisation helping the homeless and the poor is appealing for help in finding a new building to help house an overflow of donations.

The Hands of Love Missionary currently uses the old railway station on Camp Hill, but it is too small and founder Fern Wade said: "We need a bigger building and I believe we are going to get it."

The organisation was founded in 1970 and currently helps more than 500 families and individuals in need of clothing, food, toiletries and other staple items.

Mrs. Wade began helping the homeless when she bought tea and sandwiches for homeless men that used the Co-op parking lot, in Hamilton, during her lunch hours.

She then moved on to serving them lunch and dinner every other Saturday and as her organisation grew larger, she began to serve Easter and Christmas dinner eventually growing into handing out clothes and giving moral support to those in need.

After about eight years, Mrs. Wade decided to be a full-time missionary, which meant there was a need to secure a location to store the donated items.

"I saw this building for rent and I put in for it. I just got so busy that I totally forgot that I even applied for the building. One day I got a phone call saying that I got it and I was in shock," she said.

Mrs. Wade said that the building has served the organisation well but it was now providing for more people and having difficulty in managing the donations as there is limited room.

"We are looking to expand to a building no less than 900 sq ft. I have prayed about it and I believe I am going to get one," she said.

She said she is looking for accommodation outside the city as the rents are lower and it is easily accessible.

Over the years, Mrs. Wade has housed 250 people in need and she added: "When any one really needed somewhere to stay, I would let them stay with me until they got on their feet sometimes they would even be sleeping on the floor."

She added: "If I know there is a family who is sleeping in their car because they have nowhere to stay I would invite them to stay in my home. Not everyone is cut out to do this, but since I was a teenager, I knew that God was preparing me for this work."

Hands of Love currently has four regular volunteers but, at times, the amount of people who help ranges between 20 or 30.

With Christmas approaching, Hands of Love is preparing for its busiest time providing blankets and sweaters to the homeless, feeding them Christmas dinner on Court Street, doling out hampers with food and clothing to families and issuing toys to less fortunate children. Mrs. Wade is asking the public for donations of coats, blankets and sweaters in sizes small, medium and large.

"We will take any items that you have our only request is that they are clean," she said.

Hands of Love can be contacted on 238 7386.