Here are five simple ways to help the homeless through Shelter this Christmas

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Join our campaign to spread the word about the current crisis

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This winter, Marie Claire has joined forces with Shelter to raise awareness about vulnerable women and to help those living in dire emergency accommodation or being forced to sleep on the street.

Women make up 60% of the 320,000 people currently sleeping on the streets in the UK, with a life expectancy of just 42 years old.

One in four homeless women are sexually assaulted every year, while 58% have been intimidated or threatened. Attacks, including being kicked, robbed, spat or urinated on, are common.

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‘People think that homeless people are lazy, but many like me without permanent homes are working, they just can't afford to their pay rent. You can come from any walk of life and end up homeless.’ What does homelessness look like in 2019? You might be surprised. Last year 78 families in England became homeless every day and Sireena, 35, was one of them. This Christmas, instead of looking forward to hanging the decorations with her son, she is panicking about being out on the streets again in 2020. Experts estimate that 1 in 3 working families are just a single pay cheque away from losing their home and becoming victims of a spiralling crisis which encompasses 320,000 people across Britain. Untold thousands more make up the ‘hidden homeless’, forced to sleep on friends’ sofas, in hostels or find other makeshift arrangements to avoid sleeping rough. Women who end up among the growing number of the street homeless are the only group in our society whose life expectancy is lower than men’s, at just 42. This winter, we at @marieclaireuk are joining forces with @sheltercharity to help women living in dire emergency accommodation – or being forced to sleep on the street – get to a better place. Link in bio for Sireena’s story and to find out how you can help throughout December. Thank you. #sheltercharity #marieclairecampaign #hiddenhomeless

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Over the past week, we have been telling the stories of women who face homelessness this Christmas, and if there is something we have learnt, it’s that it can happen to anyone at any time. You can come from any walk of life and end up homeless.

‘My route to homelessness was similar to thousands of other women in the UK,’ Cash Carraway told Marie Claire earlier this week as part of our campaign. ‘High rents and zero-hour minimum wage contracts mean you are only ever one relationship breakdown, dropped shift, or delayed Universal Credit payment away from losing your home.’

It is a huge and complex crisis, but we can all help.

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This wasn’t just a walk. This was a 10km fight against homelessness… Last night, the @marieclaireuk team joined over 2,500 volunteers, campaigners and celebrities who took to the streets of London for the 10km Sleep Walk for Shelter to help raise £500,000 to tackle the very real homelessness crisis in Britain. What did we take away from the event? It was a genuine wake up call as we marched the 2-hour route following the Thames and passing famous landmarks from The Shard to Tower Bridge, to see just how many homeless people were sleeping in restaurant doorways, dark alleys and makeshift camps by the river as Christmas shoppers passed by seemingly unaware. Next week (December 11) the fight against the crisis continues, as the ‘Sleep Walk’ moves to Manchester. Meanwhile, we’ll be telling more stories of women who face homelessness over the Christmas period. Stay tuned. And join the movement. Link in bio #marieclairecampaign #sheltercharity #hiddenhomeless #sleepwalkforshelter

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Here are five ways that Shelter explains we can all make a difference on an individual level…

Give your skills

‘Volunteers are integral to our fight against bad housing and homelessness,’ Shelter’s website states, but if volunteering at a shop or a campaign event isn’t for you, there are plenty more options. You can volunteer your skills. Whether you have experience in social media, law, human resources, data input or administrating, Shelter can benefit. ‘Whatever your interest, skills and experience and however much time you have to give, there’s a role for you,’ the charity explains

Donate

There are almost 100 Shelter shops on high streets across the UK, selling everything from clothes and accessories to furniture and books to help the homeless. You can find your nearest Shelter shop via the website and donate any good quality items. As their website says, ‘Shelter shops can turn your unwanted goods into help for people facing homelessness and bad housing’.

Send an email

Helping the homeless can be as easy as sending an email. In the run up to the General Election, Shelter is encouraging the public to campaign to change the laws around housing. ‘This election we have a chance to make sure the next government builds the homes we need’, the website reads, encouraging members of the public to email their local MPs calling for them to face up to the crisis. With an easy system of working out who your candidates are and a link to email them, making a big difference has never been easier.

Fundraise

There are fundraising events up and down the country, from marathons and triathlons to comedy and live music nights. ‘Want to run a marathon? Cycle 100 miles? Climb a skyscraper? You can do all these things for Shelter and more,’ the website reads. Or alternatively, if you want to create your own event, the Shelter team wants to support you.

Have your say

If you have had experience in housing issues, Shelter wants to hear your thoughts. ‘Because of your personal experience, you have a unique understanding of housing and homelessness issues,’ the charity explains. If you have insight or ideas, your involvement could improve the work Shelter does and you can be a powerful voice for change.

The post Here are five simple ways to help the homeless through Shelter this Christmas appeared first on Marie Claire.

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