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Well over 4,000 people were recorded sleeping rough in London between January and March this year, an increase of 33 per cent against 2023 and the highest number in a decade.
Which is why StreetSmart’s annual campaign to take homelessness is more important than ever.
Each year, the charity works with restaurants, chefs and the wider hospitality industry to raise vital funds in London and beyond. Throughout November and December, diners can donate £1 per take when enjoying a meal out at one of 600-plus restaurants taking part in the scheme.
All the money raised go towards helping those in need, including the circa 80,000 households at risk of homelessness, a number that has risen by nine per cent, year-on-year, in 2024.
StreetSmart is supported by many of the most famous restaurants in town, including the River Café, St. John, and Quo Vadis.
The head chef of the latter, and a long-time supporter of the initiative, Jeremy Lee, said: “StreetSmart’s secret is that it's dead simple. Today, we can feel far too busy and serious to do anything, but with this tiny effort you can end up with a large lump sum after Christmas. It's a small gesture for a big problem. Hopefully one day it won't be necessary.”
Pubs and bars are also involved, and last year more than £1 million was raised from the £1 donations alone. Funds are used for projects across London, from emergency shelters in Hackney to counselling young people in Croydon, to barista training programs in Peckham to help people get into work.
Every £1 goes into the StreetSmart pot thanks to the charity’s partner LandAid, which covers the cost of the campaign and all the admin fees.
The chef Pierre Koffmann said: “Home is one of the most important things in life: for shelter, of course, but also for self-respect and a sense of belonging. Supporting StreetSmart is a simple way to help people whose lives are painful in ways we can hardly imagine.”
The charity kicked off its fundraising for this year with a charity cook-off at the Lina Stores in Kings Cross, in which chefs faced off against each other to rustle up a truffle-based dish of their own concoction for a crowd of food-lovers and a panel of judges, including Tom Parker-Bowles and the Standard’s David Ellis. The evening had two winners, with the Dorchester’s Tom Booton taking the judge’s vote and Ana Da Costa named as the crowd’s favourite. The evening raised £3,500.
For more information, visit streetsmart.org.uk
