Why this Crawley charity bought a bus for the homeless and how you can help fund it

A charity evening is to be held at Broadbridge Heath to fundraise for the homeless.
Tesco Extra Gatwick at Horley donate £ 2000 to the Danny Gallivan Trust. Pic Steve Robards SR1828842 SUS-181029-143123001Tesco Extra Gatwick at Horley donate £ 2000 to the Danny Gallivan Trust. Pic Steve Robards SR1828842 SUS-181029-143123001
Tesco Extra Gatwick at Horley donate £ 2000 to the Danny Gallivan Trust. Pic Steve Robards SR1828842 SUS-181029-143123001

The Danny Gallivan Trust, based in Crawley, has converted a double decker bus into a shelter to offer refuge to homeless people.

Now they are holding a fundraising evening, on Saturday, November 24 with a raffle, licensed bar and live music provided free by the Furious Badgers.

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Steve Swain, chairman of the charity said: “Our mission is to help these people get their lives back on track.”

Men in Sheds and Danny Gallivan trust work on a  bus - intended to be a homeless shelter in Crawley. Pic Steve Robards SR1820797 SUS-181208-154735001Men in Sheds and Danny Gallivan trust work on a  bus - intended to be a homeless shelter in Crawley. Pic Steve Robards SR1820797 SUS-181208-154735001
Men in Sheds and Danny Gallivan trust work on a bus - intended to be a homeless shelter in Crawley. Pic Steve Robards SR1820797 SUS-181208-154735001

Entry to the evening, held at the Broadbridge Heath Social Club in Wickhurst Lane, is free but donations through purchasing raffle tickets are encouraged.

Prizes on offer are planned to include tickets to a West End show of your choice, champagne and more. The evening starts at 8pm.

Mr Swain added: “The more the merrier.

“Please remember many of the people we can help have fought for our country.

“Please help us help them. It’s time to pay back.”

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The bus, known as Danny after the charity’s namesake, will house up to 12 people at a time and Mr Swain hopes it will open this month.

It is to be based in the car park of the old Travelodge in Lowfield Heath.

He told how grateful he was to the landowners, Arlo Holdings, who also offered free water and electricity.

The bus will be registered as a permanent address.

This allows its residents to access things like doctors and dentists, and gives them work opportunities they might otherwise miss out on.

Mr Swain said: “Tesco has been very good to the charity.

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“Working for a charity restores your faith in human nature.”

Tesco Extra in Horley has donated £2,000 to the Danny Gallivan Trust.

Staff representing the supermarket presented the money, raised via the Tesco blue disc scheme, on Monday October 29.

Steve also thanked Food Cloud and Crawley Men in Sheds for their work.

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He added: “I would like to extend my thanks to everyone who has helped this project get off the ground.”

The trust was set up to help homeless ex-service people however they quickly realised they could help homeless people of all backgrounds.

It was founded by Kerry Gallivan, whose father Danny served in the Irish Guards and the Guards Independent Parachute Company.

Danny passed away in 2012. The charity was started to support anyone who had fallen on hard times.

For more or to donate visit dgtrust.org.uk or www.facebook.com/dg.trust2/