A homeless charity has taken over an empty car showroom in a town centre.

It’s the 11th business venture in the past six years for The Gillingham Street Angels, which has helped thousands of vulnerable people in that time.

It has now picked up the keys to the former Grays Used Car Centre in Chatham High Street, which is just a few doors away from the former giant Argos store where they now focus on selling second-hand furniture and is now the charity’s HQ.

Neil Charlick, founder and chief executive’s latest venture will be a “clothes emporium” when it opens later this month.

Set in the heart of the Intra arts and cultural area, it will specialise in repurposiing and repairing items on the ground floor as well as offering free school uniforms.

The second storey will be designated to provide services to support those impacted by poverty, well-being issues, and unemployment.

Mr Charlick has come a long way since starting his charity in an office above a garage in Sturdee Avenue, Gillingham in 2018.

As somebody who was once homeless and living on the streets, he set out to provide a basic soup kitchen and food bank.

But he soon realised people needed more than feeding themselves and their family.

He explained: “It’s no good giving somebody a crust of bread when they haven’t got a knife to spread butter on it or a can of soup if you don’t have a tin opener.

“It became apparent that they did not have a table or chair to eat around.”

Neil, who runs the charity with wife Tracey, uses the proceeds from his string of charity shops and cafes to fund free clinics and workshops which are supported by Medway Council, the NHS, and Medway Community Healthcare to name a few.

He needs about £1million a year to run his mini empire and now employs 52 full-time staff as well as 100 volunteers.

Hot on the heels of this business will be the launch of a hub in King Street, Gillingham, to help people with mental health issues.

Neil has secured a three-year lease from the Gray family who have been present in Medway for more than 80 years.

He has also managed to extend his lease from the Watts Charity which owns the Argos building, for a further year.

At the new premises, fashion designers will be encouraged to restyle and showcase their work and seamstresses will be refreshing items which would normally be discarded.

He said: “We have become a throw-away society. People would rather throw away a tee shirt if it has a hole in it rather than sew it up.”.

Last August GSA moved into the old Lloyds bank building in Rainham High Street, which has been empty for a number of years, to sell school uniforms.

The charity boss said: “We have been keeping an eye on Rainham for some time and are also looking at Strood to complete our presence in all of the five Towns.

”Not everyone can get to our other shops and cafes so for some it’s on their doorstep.

“Like all our other places, we don’t aim to be just another charity shop. We want to give something back to the community.”

Gray’s director Peter Gray said: “It’s been empty since at least 2017, which seemed a pity.

“Neil approached me and I’m really happy to support all the good work he does for the community.”

The company has relocated to another premises in the High Street.