A former drug addict and prostitute who was living on the streets in her youth is putting on a concert for Medway's homeless to "show them that they are loved".

Petronela Zilik, who lives in Chatham, turned her life around after living on the streets in her native Slovakia from the age of 18 for almost three years.

The concert for the homeless takes place tonight December 23 at Kings Church in Gillingham from 6pm to 9pm, where there will be food and singing for them to enjoy.

The 38-year-old, who is a mum-of-three, said her past experiences are the reason why she has decided to put the event on.

She said: "During the winter and Christmas time is when it is the hardest, it was really really hard to survive winter.

"When I was homeless there was an organisation that set up dinner for people on the street and I've never forgot about it, it touched my heart and I said to myself if I was to get out of this I will do the same thing."

Petronela says she had no other choice but to live on the street during her younger years after running away from domestic abuse.

She added: "When I was on the street people judged me but they had no clue why I was there or what I'd been through.

"My childhood was completely broken – I grew up in foster care until I was nine until I was adopted.

"When I was homeless I didn't want to go to work and I didn't want to be responsible. For me it was much easier getting money from the street.

"I realised I didn't want to live like that anymore, and my step grandma helped me get out of it, she didn't judge me, she just always told me that I could do better."

While she was homeless, Petronela was addicted to drugs and would prostitute herself to make money.

When she made the decision that she didn't want to live that life anymore, she went to rehab for 10 months and has been clean ever since.

"My step grandma supported me the whole time. She always came to visit me and I will never forget it, I'm so grateful," she said.

Petronela came to the UK in 2004, and has since had three children.

She has organised the charity concert along with King's Church in Skinner Street, and has also had help from the Gillingham Street Angels.

She said: "The main goal for us is to share the love, we are going to give them food, and are also going to sing for them and I want to support them and let them know I know what they're going through and I'm not judging them.

"I want to use what I went through as a homeless person to help others and I believe that we can have a nice time together for them, to make them happy for at least these few hours."