January 20, 2019

Big Data

How Big Data can prevent homelessness.

Councils already know all about us – but now it seems these data goldmines can be used to predict who might fall into hardship.

“The idea is to collect the data in the council database that could raise the red flag around an individual.”

Professor Vania Sena believes the swathes of data that councils already hold on us could be used to prevent homelessness.

The University of Essex researcher is working with Suffolk and Essex County Councils to analyse large sets of citizen data, collectively known as Big Data, using algorithms that will be used to predict when people need help.

If data analysis and predictive algorithms sounds cutting-edge, Sena says the actual models being used are very basic. “We’re not talking here about sophisticated artificial intelligence,” she says.

January 10, 2019

ShowerBox

London’s ShowerBox will provide ‘eco-showers’ for homeless people.

Project founder Sarah Lamptey is on the hunt for a suitable space to station the solar-powered free showers.

The founder of London’s first free showers for homeless people is set to create a solar-powered facility to serve as a community space.

The ShowerBox initiative, set up by radio presenter Sarah Lamptey, provides safe shower facilities for the homeless. She recently received a large donation of solar-powered showers from tech company Navitron and is looking for a space or organisation which shares the ShowerBox values to collaborate with her on “providing eco-showers and company to those who need them, just as public baths used to in this country”.

December 17, 2018

Luminary Bakery

The social enterprise bakery offering opportunities for women from economic and social disadvantage.

Luminary Bakery is a social enterprise set up to provide training, employment opportunities and community to disadvantaged women in East London. We recently started working with them at our shop on Leather Lane when we were blown away by their amazing cakes, and their unusual and inspirational story.

On a quiet, drizzly morning in February, I headed over to Stoke Newington to visit their bakery-cum-cafe and find out more about how it all came to be. Over a cup of tea, accompanied by the smell of freshly baked Irish soda bread, founder, Alice Williams tells all…

December 13, 2018

Behind the Label.

Behind the Label is giving marginalised people a voice through theatre.

The Theatre Versus Oppression project helps people who have experienced homelessness learn to cope through sharing their stories on stage.

Theatre is a powerful medium to boost confidence and self-expression, giving those people marginalised in society a voice.

Last week, we told you how Big Issue vendor Clive had used his newfound love of the stage to sharpen his selling skills and conquer his demons.

This week it will be the turn of Behind the Label – an applied Theatre project in Cardiff run by Theatre Versus Oppression in partnership with The Wallich and Wales Millennium Centre.

Kicking off in 2016, the programme is a training course for people who have experienced addiction, trauma, homelessness or mental health problems.

December 11, 2018

Big Green Bookshop

An independent bookshop is using Twitter to buy books for homeless people.

Big Green Bookshop have followed up their novel #buyastrangerabook initiative with #buyShelterabook this Christmas.

Twitter is not known for being the merriest place on Earth at the moment, even at the so-called ‘most wonderful time of the year’, but an independent bookshop owner is changing that while helping homeless people access books.

Simon Key of the Big Green Bookshop in Wood Green has already highlighted the power of social media with their popular #buyastrangerabook initiative which asked Twitter users to pay forward for a book to be given to a stranger.

Now, Simon has unveiled a new version of the social media project with #buyShelterabook, this time asking customers to pledge to buy a book for homelessness charity Shelter.

December 9, 2018

Savile Row

Savile Row pop-up shop to sell menswear for homelessness charity.

The world centre of luxury men’s clothes will host the week of events to raise funds for Crisis.

Bespoke tailoring hotspot Savile Row is sending out A Call to Garms with a pop-up shop selling luxury menswear to benefit homeless people.

In support of national homelessness charity Crisis, the store will open on December 10-15 at 31 Savile Row in Mayfair, central London. The pop-up will follow that launched by Kate Bush where remastered versions of her 40-year back catalogue will be on sale, also for Crisis.

As well as the must-visit shop, a programme of events and appearances has been arranged including a closing party headlined by David Gray.

Julian Stocks, chief executive of building owner The Pollen Estate, said: “Savile Row is the world’s finest street for bespoke tailoring and we are thrilled to be working with Tom Stubbs and Crisis on the world’s most sartorial charity pop-up.

November 15, 2018

Thermo Shelter

Thermo Shelter is trying to transform emergency shelter for rough sleepers.

Architect Sam Mitson is raising funds after he designed shelter hoping to topple a tent.

Rough sleeping has risen by 134 per cent in the last seven years and there are a host of ideas and plans on how to tackle the issue.

Sam Mitson, from Poole, Dorset, has decided to put his decade of expertise as an architect towards providing warm shelter for those living on the streets with his Thermo Shelter concept.

The portable structure promises to raise temperatures “by around 10 degrees” over a tent with a frame of insulation boards constructed with bungee cord and stoppers. A waterproof membrane ensures that the shelter remains dry by keeping it raised off the ground to prevent rising damp.

The entire structure folds away, like a tent, allowing it to be used as a lightweight emergency shelter in the event of extreme weather, as seen during ‘The Beast from the East’ when StreetLink referrals skyrocketed as the UK was battered by winter storms in March.

November 6, 2018

Veterans Aid

Inside the unlikely nerve-centre fighting against veteran homelessness.

A stone’s throw from Buckingham Palace’s back garden, in a neighbourhood dominated by big business and the hectic hustle of Victoria Station, the offices of Veterans Aid are in a small terraced house down a quiet mews.

Veterans Aid CEO, Dr Hugh Milroy OBE, known affectionately as the Wing Commander by his colleagues, welcomes The Big Issue. Inside, it is clean, bright, nondescript. But do not be fooled. This place is the heart of a revolutionary quest to prevent homelessness among former members of the armed services and to break the cycle of homelessness for anyone who has already slipped through the net.

November 1, 2018

ShowerBox

London’s first free shower for the homeless is set for Brixton.

ShowerBox aims to improve hygiene and morale among London’s homeless population.

An initiative to provide free and safe showering facilities to homeless people has secured its first location.

ShowerBox, spearheaded by London-based radio presenter and shelter volunteer Sarah Lamptey, was set up to give rough sleepers access to safe places to wash.

The project will debut on the grounds of Brixton Soup Kitchen, designed inside one of five large storage containers recently donated. ShowerBox is currently running off contributions from companies and from the public.

12 3 ›»

Tag: homelessness