A PHOTOGRAPHY project aims to capture what life is really like for people sleeping rough on Worcester’s streets through the eyes of those who have experienced homelessness.

The Creative Group at St Paul’s Hostel in Worcester has embarked on a photography project using disposable cameras but believe there will be nothing throwaway about their dramatic images set to be displayed at an exhibition in the city next month.

The hope is that the series of striking, black and white photographs can capture the experience of being homeless. This may include rough sleepers or those who may have somewhere to stay but no permanent, stable home to call their own.

The project started in March and will culminate in an open view event at Café Bliss in Sansome Street, Worcester, on Friday, June 9 between 7.30pm and 9.30pm.

The project, which makes use of disposable cameras, would not have been possible without photographers who have been teaching their craft to service users and staff and the hostel.

They include Hamish Gill, a photographer and local businessman. In total 20 people have been able to take part in the project.

Mr Gill said in his blog about photography workshops at the hostel: "The aim of the project is essentially to give the users the hostel’s services and a couple of members of staff a creative means to tell their stories.

"The hope is that the photographs will help the general public visualise what it must be like to be without home comforts, as well as breaking down some of the stereotypes about the sorts of folks who use hostel services.

"The hope being that this in turn will help to grow compassion and a deeper understanding and awareness of what it must be like to not have a home to call your own."

He describes the Ilford HP5+ disposable camera as a 'simple beast' which, like most disposable cameras, is little more than a plastic lens, button activated flash, a basic viewfinder and a ratcheted thumb wheel film advance.

The photos will be on exhibition at Cafe Bliss for a few weeks and have been taken on black and white film.

The quality throwaway cameras were offered to the group at a discount through Hamish Gill’s contact at Ilfords.

Gerry Lowman, co-ordinator of the Creative Group, said: “The idea of the photography project, which we initially tried to get funding for from last June`s Worcester Soup event, is to evoke compassion from the local community revealing the daily life and interests of individuals who find themselves without a home.

“We have held several photography workshops with local photographers Anthony Pearson, Andy O`Hare, Rev Peter Holzapfel and of course with Hamish Gill.

“We hope the event will be an interactive one with visitors writing their comments in a book for us to keep along with the photos and will provide the hostel with a resource to take to other events over the next couple of years.”

Amanda Cavell from Café Bliss has been a source of encouragement to the Creative Group.

Together with Hamish Gill and Andy O'Hare she helped select the photos to be enlarged and frame for the exhibition.

They were impressed by the quality and diversity of the work.

The final choice about which photographs will be exhibited will be made this Wednesday at Café Bliss.

Mr Gill gives more detail about the project via his blog which is available by visiting www.35mmc.com/06/05/2017/st-pauls-hostel-ilford-hp5-disposable-camera-project-an-introduction/