A BROMSGROVE business owner is giving back to the community by taking part in a range of fundraising events.

Karen Sola, aged 51, owns Vintage Cottage in the Strand Centre and works as a homeless housing officer at Redditch Borough Council.

On Friday, October 10, she took part in National World Homeless Day by sleeping rough outside Tesco Extra in Oakenshaw with around 20 other people.

Karen said: “Once I was in a refuge. It makes you realise how precious life is.”

During the event she was joined by council colleague, Sam Wilkes and her daughter Millie and together they made a shelter to sleep in for the night.

They raised more than £500 for Redditch Nightstop, a charity which helps people aged 16 to 25 and various organisations to reduce youth homelessness throughout the district.

She raised a further £170, on Friday, October 17, for Breast Cancer Care by holding an evening where she and her friends dressed in pink.

When Karen was suffering from symptoms she thought could be breast cancer, a customer at her shop motivated her to seek advice and call a doctor.

She was later relieved to find out she did not have cancer.

Karen said: “There are so many people who visit the shop that have had breast cancer, it made me want to do something for it.”

Karen plans to hold her next charity event at Christmas in aid of the homeless. The money raised will be given to a soup kitchen.