VULNERABLE women across Southend are set to benefit from a new “female-only” soup kitchen and support service which will see them offered food as well as showers in a safe space.

The One Love Project, a Southend Homeless charity, is behind the initiative alongside a number of charities with the first soup kitchen set to be held on Monday at the charity’s headquarters at the Hollybrook Homes site, in Carnarvon Close, Southend.

The charity is working alongside Carries Outreach - a support service specifically for sex workers - as well as the Aspirations Day Program, which is an abstinence-based drug recovery program.

Mum-of-three Kimberley O’Connell, 48, helps out at another leading Southend charity, the St Vincent’s Centre, and welcomed the announcement of a female-only soup kitchen.

She said: “It’s great timing as it’s women’s history month and that’s a big thing. I think it’s a lovely idea and should be rolled out at most charities like this.

“Any help we can get for women is a good thing and it gives the vulnerable women another option and place to go to for support.

“I think some women will feel safe in an environment like this and I think it’s wonderful news for women.”

The pioneering new service will run every Monday from 4pm-5.15pm.

It will support vulnerable women across the city in accessing free warm meals, shower and hygiene products, clothing, mental health support, medical care, dentistry and other life essentials.

Leah Darby, head of operations at The One Love Project said: “Due to the rise in homelessness and rough sleeping across the UK, there is even more of a demand on our service locally.

“After hearing feedback from women across the city stating that they didn’t feel safe coming along to a mixed service, we felt it necessary to launch a women’s only session.

“Everyone deserves to feel safe when accessing support, and this soup kitchen will give women a safe space as well as a sense of community.

“We look forward to more exciting innovations in gender informed services in Southend.”

For more information, visit www.theoneloveproject.co.uk.