The owner of High Wycombe laundrette which has been offering a free washing service to the homeless for five years has spoken out about the issue in the town especially coming into the winter months.

The Laundry Room, in Desborough Road, works with Wycombe Homeless Connection to offer the service to homeless people.

Homeless people around the town can collect tokens from Wycombe Homeless Connection and take it to The Laundry Room to get a free wash.

The kind-hearted owner Qumar Aziz has issued a warning surrounding the problem as we enter the colder months.

He believes that the issue is not only present in High Wycombe but across the county as well as nationally. 

He said: “A lot more people use the service in winter. In the winter, it’s wet outside because of the rain so the clothes get damper.

"If I’m being honest it’s a problem everywhere.

"We have in the past given out blankets, two-man tents across the whole of Buckinghamshire.

"It’s an issue everywhere I hope our council, and I’m sure behind the scenes a lot is going on, but more needs to be done because there are people out there who are on waiting lists and have been categorized.

"It’s an issue across the UK, but where we have been helping is across Buckinghamshire so Aylesbury, Milton Keynes, High Wycombe and all the surrounding areas."

Qumar, who was brought up in High Wycombe, launched the initiative after helping a man asking for money outside his laundrette so he could wash his clothes.

He continued: "I had someone outside my shop asking for money to use the service and it was absolutely chucking it down.

"I went outside to see if he was alright and told him to pop in if he was waiting for a taxi.

"He said he was short of a couple of quid to use one of the washing machines.

"From there I thought this was something I can give to my community. I have lived and been brought up in High Wycombe and this is something I can do."

Up to 900 people have taken up free washes including pregnant women and children since 2017, Mr Aziz estimated.

Earlier this year, the owner opened up about how the Covid-19 also affecting his business and family.

“The homeless people know that there’s a service which is available from a certain time, and it’s a service that’s open throughout the year.

“Although we were an essential business, we had to close because I had to put my parents’ safety first.

“A few days later I had decided to close, we kept getting calls 'please could you please open up, we really need to get our washing done'.

“So I put it out in the community that we’re open a few hours a day just for the homeless and the people who haven’t got a washing machine at home, so they can pop in and use the service."

The laundrette has since reopened to its usual opening hours from 8am to 6pm.