Sir Stephen Fry says he deeply empathises with the displaced and homeless people being supported by our winter appeal with Comic Relief, saying that he, too, knows what it’s like to feel “invisible”, “utterly alone” and “hoping desperately for a hand to reach out”.
For celebrity chef Andi Oliver, it’s the people who suffer from food poverty that she finds most “heart-breaking” — because even more than being hungry, “it’s about being in a constant state of fear that you can’t feed your children”. And Sir Sadiq Khan also endorses our campaign, calling on the public to “remember those facing this winter without the simple comforts many of us take for granted”.
Drawing on his own lived experience, Fry, the celebrated actor who was recently a contestant on BBC1’s The Celebrity Traitors, says: “I experienced some really tough times growing up, and there were moments where I felt utterly alone, wondering if anyone would care or if life could ever feel safe. I know that feeling of being invisible, of hoping desperately for a hand to reach out.”
He adds: “Tonight, across the UK, hundreds of thousands of people will face that same despair. They’ll sleep in emergency shelters, on friends’ sofas, in cars, or out on the streets. Homelessness isn’t simply the absence of a roof; it’s the absence of safety, of stability, of a place to belong. And we all know that life without belonging is a very cold, very lonely thing indeed.”
Fry calls the Standard’s winter appeal with Comic Relief — Who’s at Your Table? — “a lifeline”. “Your support can offer a warm bed, a hot meal, and the simple but extraordinary reassurance that someone cares,” he says. “Together, we can help people move from merely surviving to rediscovering hope, dignity, and the chance to start again.”
Who’s at Your Table? campaign in a nutshell
Our winter campaign — Who’s at Your Table? — is in partnership with Comic Relief, which has pledged £500,000 to get us underway. The money we raise will help fund organisations in London and across the country helping people experiencing homelessness and food insecurity, and people who have been forced to flee their homes.
Oliver, best known for her appearances on the BBC’s Great British Menu, says she finds the situation “really distressing, because it gets worse every year”. She says: “Food poverty isn’t just about being hungry; it’s about being scared. When you can’t feed your children, you live in a constant state of fear. It’s heart-breaking, because feeding your family is such a basic need. No one should live in fear of not being able to nourish their family.”
But help is at hand for these people at this very vulnerable time in their lives, Oliver reminds us. “There are many brilliant organisations working day in and day out to support families and children living in food poverty,” she says. “The people doing this work are extraordinary and they make an enormous difference.”
Showing compassion and looking out for each other keeps us connected and feeds the soul
The people she refers to include those working for the charities supported by our campaign — and she calls on the public to find their compassion. “We’re living in a time where kindness matters more than ever,” she says. “There’s been this normalisation of selfishness and it’s so important to push back against that, to remember to step towards our best instincts, not our worst. We’re all in this together. Life can change in a moment and you never know when you might need someone else’s hand to hold. Showing compassion and looking out for each other keeps us connected and feeds the soul.”
Campaigns like the Standard’s remind us, she adds, that small acts of kindness make a difference. “When we feed a child who’s hungry, we’re not just filling their stomach — we’re giving them hope for the future.”
Sir Sadiq Khan also calls for the public to get behind our appeal, saying: “As the nights draw in and winter approaches, many of us find comfort in warm homes and the company of loved ones. But we must also remember those facing this winter without the simple comforts many of us take for granted.”
London’s mayor adds: “That’s why I’m proud to support The Standard’s campaign with Comic Relief, which is raising vital funds for organisations working with people experiencing homelessness, forced migration and food insecurity this winter. These projects provide a sense of belonging and dignity for those who need it most. Together we must ensure no one is left out in the cold and build a safer and more compassionate London for everyone.”
Their backing comes days after Comic Relief pledged £500,000 to kick off our appeal last week, and after singer Rita Ora, who fled danger to come to the UK as a very young child, backed our campaign. “Growing up as a child refugee shaped everything about who I am,” says Rita. “That is why I’m proud to support the appeal — because I know what it means to be given the chance to feel safe, seen, and free.”
How you can help
£5 could cover the cost for a young person to have a hot meal at a day centre
£10 could contribute towards an emergency grant or food voucher for a young person in need
£27 could give a young person a night in emergency accommodation instead of sleeping rough
£100 could keep a delivery van on the road for a day, delivering hundreds of meals to people in need
