Stars gathered in the centre of Soho to serve up the nation’s favourite food to homeless young people, as part of an annual event organised by Centrepoint charity. Rachel Stevens was among the celebrities who gathered in the Golden Union, Poland Street, to dish up fish ‘n chips to more than 80 Centrepoint youths on Wednesday night. The former S Club 7 member and Strictly Come Dancing contestant said she was honoured to “really give something to a fantastic cause”. Centrepoint supports more than 1,200 16 to 25-year-olds each year and the Eat At The Table (EATT) event is aimed simply to give homeless young people the chance to eat a warm meal in a welcoming atmosphere. “They deserve to be treated with the same respect as anyone else,” said John Raynham, head of fundraising at the charity. The charity, based in London and the north east of England, hopes to help some of the 80,000 young people who experience homelessness every year. The EATT event is just one of the ways the charity tries to raise awareness of the issue, which is becoming increasingly more common as the UK slips further into financial crisis and NEET numbers rise. The charity helps equip young people with the skills they need for the future. Danielle, a Centrepoint resident, said she had been taught interpersonal skills, as well as maths and English, but, like many people her age, has yet to find a job.

– huffingtonpost.co.uk