Catherine Shelley and Darius Kanuga were walking around Shoreditch taking pictures of graffiti when the two 19-year-olds sparked up a conversation with a group of homeless men – and were inspired to start the Homeless People Project to allow London’s homeless population to tell their stories in their own words.
It provides a snapshot of London’s housing crisis, where record numbers of rough sleepers have been recorded in recent months. Charities found 3,103 people sleeping on the capital’s streets between July and September this year – the first time the figure has exceeded 3,000 in a three-month period.
The account features people of all ages and experiences: victims of domestic abuse, destitute veterans, people whose relationships have fallen apart, and many casualties of a broken housing system.
The project is not-for-profit, and they donate money to everyone they speak to, as well as offering information on local soup kitchens and resources if wanted. But they say much of the focus is on raising awareness of the issue among people their age.
Contact the Samaritans for free from any telephone on 116 123. You can call even if you don’t have credit on your mobile, and the number won’t show up on phone bills. Or you can email jo@samaritans.org or go to www.samaritans.org to find details of your nearest branch, where you can talk to one of our trained volunteers face to face.
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