Cycling group C86ERZ makes Christmas delivery for London's homeless

Verral Paul-Walcott decided to do something to help London's homeless

A cycling group has distributed food, tents, blankets and other essentials to homeless people across London.

Around 170 people joined Verral Paul-Walcott, 35, from Tottenham, on their bikes on Friday night to support rough sleepers in the capital.

Mr Paul-Walcott started the network, called C86ERZ, during lockdown.

"I was out on my bike and realised that 'stay home, stay safe' meant nothing to the homeless,' he said.

"Plus there was nothing you could buy at that time unless you had a bank account. So I started a Whatsapp group for cyclists to do something about it.

"Now we go out once a week, usually on a Thursday night with cargo bikes, rucksacks and vans - to restock - to areas where the homeless are."

Wish-list

This is the fourth Christmas that the collective has set out on a mass ride.

He said the group has a wish-list of supplies online that anyone can donate to, which includes items including sleeping bags, ponchos and hygiene products.

C86 volunteers spread out across central London on Friday

On Friday teams met at Shoreditch station, then split up to cover districts including Oxford Street, Angel, Mile End and Borough Market.

"We aimed to be back by 23:00 GMT. In previous years we've stayed out till much later. But this year we wanted to say thanks to everyone by getting them back to the same place," he said.

'Refugee camps'

Mr Paul-Walcott, a graphic designer and father of two, was nominated for a BBC Make a Difference Award last year for his initiative.

"There's a core team of about 35 but last night's ride was much bigger because the call had gone out on social media," Mr Paul-Walcott said

Mio Bach went out with C86 for the third Christmas on Friday

Mio Bach, one of the volunteers, was out on her bike with C86 for the third Christmas.

"It's kind of hard to just pass the homeless every day and not do anything," she said.

"On my own I wasn't capable of doing much but I met Verral and he already had this idea and I could back him up.

"On our last ride we met 20 to 30 people. There are some parts of London that, after Brexit and the cost of living crisis, look a little bit like refugee camps," she said.