THE May Place House "A Place for Us" Christmas campaign is well and truly up and running following its official launch at a civic reception in Basingstoke.

The campaign, backed by The Gazette, is raising funds for the town's hostel for the homeless.

Food outlets across the borough are being asked to take part in a scheme where a voluntary £1 is added to diners' bills during the Christmas and New Year period. This will then go to the charity.

David Charsley, of May Place House, said the hostel is following in the footsteps of a London-based charity, StreetSmart, which last year raised £250,000 for the capital's homeless.

The charity started five years ago with only a few restaurants taking part in the scheme. But each year funds doubled as more and more restaurants participated.

The Red Lion Hotel in Basingstoke led the way by being the first to sign up for the local A Place for Us campaign.

The hotel's general manager Kurt Upton said it was important to help the local community, particularly those in less than fortunate circumstances.

In a speech at the reception, hosted by borough mayor Rose Wellman, Gazette editor-in-chief Bill Browne said the plight of the homeless was brought home to him on a recent trip to London where he saw people settling down on benches and in doorways on a cold night - a sight not often seen in Basingstoke.

He said: "The reason for this is probably because of the work of May Place House. We are lucky to have May Place House here."

The hostel, which opened in 1997, offers places where 20 people can stay in a warm, clean and friendly atmosphere for up to six months. The staff there give an encouraging hand to help residents put their lives together.

According to Mr Charsley, the hostel's annual running costs exceed £250,000.

However, it is managing to break-even thanks to the generous fundraising efforts of local businesses and people.