The UK's first mobile shower unit for homeless people has been unveiled in Bournemouth.

'The Shower Machine' will enable people who sleep rough to have a hot soak while their clothes are washed by charity Hope For Food's mobile laundry service, 'The Clean Machine'.

The shower is contained within a van and is powered by gas, with enough energy for eight three-minute showers, or one 26-minute shower - though presumably this won't be allowed.

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The van also contains dressing gowns, slippers and fresh clothes for people to use post-shower as they wait for their clothes to dry in the Clean Machine, which also contains a microwave and a kettle.

'The Shower Machine' will enable homeless people to wash while they clean their clothes. Credit: Bournemouth Echo

The founder of Hope For Food, Claire Matthews, had the idea following a conversation with a homeless person about their services.



According to the Bournemouth Echo, she said: "I thought about the Clean Machine and one guy said to me, 'I've got clean clothes but I'm still dirty, what do I do now?' So I thought, 'We need a shower.'

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"I know there are other showers in Bournemouth but they don't like walking too far. So, the concept is, while they're washing their clothes, they can have a shower."

The shower unit is the first of its kind in the country. Credit: Bournemouth Echo

But having a nice idea is one thing, and making it a reality is another. The Shower Machine was only possible thanks to a generous donation from John B Windsor-Pleydell, who heard about the charity's work and was keen to support the idea.

Sadly, he died before it was launched, but a tribute is paid to the man on the livery of the van.

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Very proud to live here! Humanising our town! @bu_human

- Dr Camila Devis-Rozental (@CamilaDR17) December 30, 2018



The charity, which was founded in 2012, will provide more than 700 hampers to families living in poverty over the Christmas period - which is twice as many as last year.



Earlier in December, Hope For Food also served a record 100 homeless people Christmas dinner.

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According to the Bournemouth Echo, he said: "I believe it's not all numbers growing, it can't be, it's people knowing about us. We're widening the people that we reach."