ACTRESS Kierston Wareing brought a touch of glamour to the official opening of the Harp second-hand shop in Westcliff.

Kierston, 30, who lives in Leigh, said she was inspired to help out the homeless charity after getting her own break.

She said: “It took just one break for me the get where I am, and often all these people need to get back on their feet is a break.”

The actress had almost given up on her dream and was training to be a legal secretary when her turning point came and she won a part in Ken Loach’s 2007 film It’s a Free World.

Since then, she has had roles in the gritty BBC children’s drama Runaway, Sky 1 series the Take and her latest film Fish Tank, which won the Jury prize at the Cannes film festival, and opens in cinema’s today.

At the shop’s opening on Wednesday, Kierston met volunteers and charity workers who have set up the shop to help those in need.

The store sells donated furniture, clothes and other items and will be run by volunteers, the majority of whom are those the charity has helped.

The project’s centre in Valkyrie Road, Westcliff, provides daytime services such as a hot meal and refuge, and is primarily for those in temporary bed and breakfast accommodation. The centre has more than 20,000 visitors a year.

At York Road, Southend, up to 14 short-term beds are available for those who would otherwise be forced to sleep rough, providing shelter, food and other essential facilities.

The residents at Harp’s Ceylon Road centre, Westcliff, where there are six beds, may have more challenging needs such as drug dependency.

Kierston said: “I live in the local community and it is nice to be able to come and give something back. Who knows, with the help these people get, one day they might be standing here telling their story of how they got a break that changed their life.”

Outreach manager for Harp, Doreen Pujol, said the shop was not only vital as a way of raising funds for the charity but also in helping Harp residents get back on their feet.

She said: “It makes such a difference having somewhere for people to go.

“It helps bridge the gap for them getting back into work, and builds their confidence to face the world again.”