THE first mobile shower unit in the country for homeless people has been unveiled in Bournemouth.

The Shower Machine will visit Richmond Hill St Andrew's URC Church in St Stephen's Road one day a week along with Hope For Food’s mobile laundry service, known as the Clean Machine.

People will be able to make use of the hot shower while washing their clothes in the Clean Machine, which also contains a microwave and a kettle.

The mobile shower unit is the brainchild of Hope For Food founder Claire Matthews.

She said: “I thought about the Clean Machine and one guy said to me ‘I’ve got clean clothes but I’m still dirty, what do I do now?’ so I thought we need a shower. I know there are other showers in Bournemouth but they don’t like walking too far. So, the concept is, while they’re washing their clothes, they can have a shower.”

The shower is run using gas and provides enough energy for eight three-minute showers.

It also contains dressing gowns, towels and new clothes.

Hope for Food was able to buy the shower unit following a £35,000 donation from John B Windsor-Pleydell who had heard about the charity and wanted to contribute towards the shower van. Sadly, he died before he was able to see it launch.

This Christmas, the Bournemouth-based charity will provide more than 700 hampers for families living in poverty, which is more than double the total handed out last December.

Hope For Food’s schools and community liaison officer, Sam Langdown, approached 35 schools during November to find out who could benefit from their help over Christmas. They have also been approached by the Dorset Healthcare Trust, social workers, health visitors and other government agencies with requests for hampers and gifts for additional families.

As well as the hampers, they will provide gifts and selection boxes for 1,244 children.

The charity said it has seen demand for help from local families rise by more than 50 per cent since Easter.

Sam said: “I believe it’s not all numbers growing, it can't be, it’s people knowing about us. We’re widening the people that we reach.”

The charity will be hosting a soup kitchen at Sacred Heart Church in Bournemouth on Christmas Day.

Earlier this month, a record 100 rough sleepers, homeless people and other struggling members of the community turned out for a Christmas meal hosted by the charity.

People were served a four-course meal, given new fleeces, sleeping bags and sports bags filled with items and were also given free hair cuts.