The Mayor of Southwark and some surprise celebrity guests will help open a new charity advice centre for homeless ex-servicemen in Rotherhithe on Friday.
The launch party will take place at the new UK Homes 4 Heroes centre in the Surdoc Club, Cope Street, and will feature some familiar faces from the small screen.
The charity was founded by Jimmy Jukes, the Pearly King of Camberwell and Bermondsey, after he became friends with an injured ex-soldier who fell on hard times and became homeless in 2008.
Since then the charity has grown and grown and now boasts more than 3000 members. Following an appeal by the News before Christmas, two construction companies offered to help transform the charity’s new home free of charge.
They replaced the windows, the floor, the ceiling, the heating system and even built offices – an estimated £20,000 worth of voluntary work.
Rodney Miller of A&E Elkins contractors said: “We do a lot of work in the local area and this is part of that.”
Patrick Warren of Keepmoat, said: “We like to make an impact in communities we’re working in.”
The event will begin at 4pm on March 6. All supporters are invited to come down and celebrate the grand opening – and maybe grab an autograph or two while they’re there.