Homelessness charity Streetsmart has released a hard-hitting video to illustrate the importance of its work in the build up to Christmas. Featuring real people whose lives have been transformed through donations made by restaurant diners, the video is stirring stuff.
Since 1998 Streetsmart has been helping homeless people with one simple idea: an optional £1 donation on restaurant bills during the busy build up to Christmas. Every penny raised goes to transforming lives across the UK. As Stephen Fry says, “Streetsmart is low in bureaucracy and high on delivering. We may not be able to solve the question of homelessness but at least by doing something we, in some way, diminish its tyranny.” Check out the new video below, and read on for more on how to get involved.
Throughout November and December, StreetSmart, long-time supporters Deutsche Bank and over 500 participating restaurants across the UK will be asking diners to donate £1 at the end of their meal, which will go towards improving the lives of vulnerable people sleeping rough across the country.
Many big names are staunch supporters of the scheme, which has enjoyed huge success (£7.4 million raised since 1998) due in part to the genius of its simplicity: Marcus Wareing describes the organisation as “a fabulous charity that remembers the homeless at a time of year when we should be thinking of others.”
For 2015, newcomers to the project include The Botanist, Tredwells and Craft London, while Bocca di Lupo, Moro, and Polpo continue to show their support for the scheme.
Square Meal is a proud supporter of StreetSmart. For a full list of participating restaurants, visit their website here.
This article was published 3 December 2015