THE homeless community has worked together to create a Christmas calendar with a difference.

The 2018 calendar features 12 images taken by photographers who are affected by homelessness.

Three of the images are unique to the calendar and were unseen in a recent Street Hunt exhibition, which ran in the Old Bus Depot in Queen Street.

Colchester Arts Centre ran the project, alongside homeless charity Beacon House.

Anthony Roberts, from Colchester Arts Centre, said: "I’m always interested in working with disenfranchised groups, in this case it was people affected by homelessness, so we came to Beacon House with an idea but to make that idea happen, to empower and enrich this constituency with the arts, we needed some help and the outcome of that was an exhibition and a beautiful calendar that serves as a piece of art in itself but also as an income generator for Beacon House."

Vivienne Wiggins, CEO at Beacon House said it was an alternative way for people to get involved.

She added: "We have lots of arts activities at Beacon House and people sometimes have to be more skilled to do that, but by giving everyone a camera anyone who wanted to get involved could just take one.

"I saw people's attitude to themselves change as their work was displayed at the exhibition and published in the calendar.

"The outcome of this is a few people involved are now in stable accommodation. I do think it is because of the confidence they had during this project, they felt they had a value."

Professional photographers Xavier Marseilles and Jonathan Doyle gave a photography course to people using Beacon House. Cameras were given to them so they could take their own images around the town.

Calendars are £10 and are available from Colchester Arts Centre in Church Street.

They can also be purchased over the phone by calling 01206 500900 or online at www.colchesterartscentre.com.

All profits from sales of the calendar are donated to Beacon House.