A charity celebrating 30 years of helping the homeless has launched a campaign to raise £1 million for a new centre to help vulnerable people.

Homeless Care, which runs a day centre in Knightrider Street, returned to its roots at Maidstone Grammar School for Girls to celebrate its anniversary.

It was here in 1986 that staff and pupils got together to launch a soup run in the town centre to help growing numbers of people left without a roof over their heads.

It was formed under the name Maidstone Christian Care and the school’s then deputy head Patricia McCabe and head teacher Mary Harvey were instrumental in the development.

The project gradually grew from soup and sandwiches to hot lunches, showers and Sunday breakfasts at the United Reformed Church in Week Street.

Gradually the scheme offered accommodation and dinners over Christmas and in 1995 the first day centre was set up at Lenworth House in Ashford Road.

But, with limited space and room for expansion, this wasn’t enough and in 2004 the purpose- built Lily Smith House was opened by then MP Ann Widdecombe. It included the existing day centre, 45 rooms and accommodation for two families.

Homeless Care took on its present name in 2013 after merging with Goodsell House Trust.

The land is owned by Riverside Social Housing and, according to secretary Angela Clay, is no longer able to cope with the increasing numbers of vulnerable people.

There are some 40-50 people attending each day.

Ms Clay said: “It is not just about the sticking plaster of giving the homeless a hot meal and a shower, it is about bringing these people back into the community, dealing with problems like broken families, substance abuse or other issues.

“Our current space is great and people have been very supportive, but we need more room to accommodate more people.”

To cater to the rising demand, Homeless Care wants to raise at least £1 million to purchase a building or plot of land in the town centre to create a day centre, surgery, training rooms, food storage areas and other facilities to help even more people than before.

The 30th birthday party was attended by Miss Widdecombe, a patron of the charity, who said: “By Homeless Care’s next birthday, I look forward to seeing the target achieved.”