TRAINEE paramedics showed they are heading in the right direction by rushing to help people in need.

Paramedic students at the University of Worcester have been praised by a city charity after rallying together to collect a mountain of supplies to support the homeless population during the coldest weeks of the year.

They gathered piles of coffee and soup, 250 pairs of socks and more than 4,000 tea bags to donate to St Paul’s Hostel in Tallow Hill.

The donation will mean the hostel has to spend less on supplies and free up vital resources for other services – helping to save lives as the temperatures plummet.

Donna King, director of services at St Paul’s Hostel, is delighted with the support from students and staff at the university.

“We’re incredibly grateful, their response has been overwhelming,” she said. “The students can pat themselves on the back. They are playing a real part in saving lives in Worcester and I’m really quite choked up by their amazing efforts.”

The money saved on supplies will be used to run initiatives such as a breakfast club and to open the hostel’s Night Assessment Centre an hour early whenever temperatures drop below freezing for three consecutive nights.

It will also help support the work of the charity’s outreach team. Sharon Hardwick, paramedic science programme lead at the university, said the response “speaks volumes” about her students and their character.

“It shows we have recruited the right people,” she said. “Their drive and commitment is inspiring to us all.”