A homeless man who was once a high-flier in the City and taught royalty outdoor activities, is now living in a bus shelter on a busy main road.

The rough sleeper, known locally as Jim, has captured the hearts of Gillingham residents, staff at a nearby pub and customers at a 24-hour garage.

Since setting up camp at the shelter on the A2 Watling Street in about a month ago, the 51-year-old has been inundated with bedding, clothing, warm drinks, and food from well-wishers.

One resident said: “Jim has become somewhat of a local celebrity.”

Speaking from his makeshift camp opposite The Star, he said: “I've already had countless offers of Christmas dinners.”

Jim, who describes himself as "a loner" left Gravesend Grammar School with O-levels in English and maths when he was 16 and enrolled on a computer training course in London.

Aged 17, he had got a job working for accounts at the Swiss Bank Corporation, putting in 15-hour days to improve his IT skills.

By the time he was in his early 20s, he was self-employed and earning good money, and after the Gulf War got a job in Kuwait.

He said: “I was earning £20 an hour which was a high salary in those days.”

He the started to take more time off following his passion of travelling.

It was while doing cash-in-hand jobs on a temporary visa working in Tel Aviv, Israel, that he got into hard drugs, including crack cocaine and heroin.

He was deported and got work at an outdoor activities centre in Weymouth where one of his trainees was Princess Beatrice.

After further spells of working abroad, he found himself back in the UK and living in a flat in Manor Road, Chatham.

The landlord sold up and he was forced to move to digs supported by Amat a homeless charity in Medway.

He said: “I was intimidated and threatened. Eventually I thought I'd be better off on the streets and I am.

“I feel safer out here. People look out for me. It has restored my faith in human nature.”

From his tarpaulin covered shelter, a constant flow of passers-by drop by with snacks, takeaways, hot drinks, toiletries, socks, and bedding.

He said: “I don’t like accepting money like some people.

"You don’t know you could be giving somebody £10 to take an overdose which could potentially kill them - and you would never know.

“People come along for a chat and sometimes talk about their problems.

“I sometimes have to beg them to take stuff back and give it to somebody who needs it more than me.”

Apart from food and drink, some also drop in a national newspaper.

He said: “I like to keep up with the news. I read the Daily Mail and I like the Telegraph, but that probably is not the right image for a homeless person.”

Star landlady Laura Bolt says her staff have taken Jim, under their wing.

They take warm drinks over to him and he has been invited inside for a meal.

"You get the impression he's a normal bloke whose down on his luck and fallen on hard times" - Roger Vaughan

She said: “Our doormen watch out for him to make sure he’s not mugged or attacked at night.

“He likes to chat and is very articulate. He does not seem like your usual down-and-out.

“You feel there’s definitely more of a story behind him.

“He’s always polite, super grateful for whatever people give him.”

Residents living on the nearby Darland estate have also warmed to his plight.

Photographer Roger Vaughan said: “He has become a bit of a celebrity.

“You get the impression he’s a normal bloke whose down on his luck and fallen on hard times.”

Jan Gregory, of Barnsole Road, Gillingham, handed over a sleeping bag while KentOnline was chatting to him.

She said: "It's getting colder now. Jim seems a genuine man and we've got to make sure he keeps warm."

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