A CANOEING canon used paddle-power to raise more than £2,000 for a charity that is dedicated to helping Worcester's homeless.

Canon Jane Fraser, a non-stipendiary minister in the Diocese of Worcester, along with her husband, Jake, floated 58 miles down the River Severn from Welshpool to Ironbridge in their Canadian canoe.

The event took place over three days of the August Bank Holiday and apart from some terrible weather, was relatively plain sailing all the way for the couple who received generous responses to their sponsorship requests.

Among those who supported them were people from the congregations in the Upton on Severn Benefice, the Worcester Cathedral congregation, non-stipendiary ministers in the Worcester Diocese, Stoulton Village Hall Committee, Foundation Fostering, family members and friends.

Mrs Fraser said: “I have huge admiration for the work of the Maggs Day Centre in supporting local people who are homeless and the creative work being done by staff and volunteers to rehabilitate those who wish to obtain accommodation and work. I also wanted to try to help due to the rise in numbers of homeless people and cuts in service due to funding deficits.”

Mel Kirk, service manager at Maggs Day Centre, said: “The money raised is phenomenal. It is the equivalent of the operational costs of running the day centre for just over six days. We are extremely grateful to Jane and all who sponsored her."

The trip took three days with the canoeists travelling 22 miles the first day, 26 miles on day two and 10 miles on day three. They were accompanied on the trip by some fellow canoeists from the Hereford County Canoe Club who also sponsored the event.

Maggs was founded in 1984 in memory of a homeless man who died after spending a number of years sleeping on the streets.

Since then the day centre, in Deansway, has grown in strength. It provides an invaluable service to help the homeless and socially isolated with support from the local community and charities.

It offers food, shelter, support, washing and laundry facilities. The activity centre runs skills training workshops while the Maggs clothing project provides free clothing, bedding and domestic items to those most in need across the city.