This year’s StreetSmart campaign has signed up nearly 20 restaurants in Bristol to help raise vital funds for the homeless.
Every year since 1998, the StreetSmart initiative has partnered with restaurants nationwide to support charities that work with homeless people, raising over £11.2 million in the process. At participating restaurants in November and December, a voluntary £1 is added to diners’ bills. With support from their partner LandAid, they ensure every penny goes to delivering life-changing services for local homelessness projects.
The Bristol restaurants currently taking part are:
- Bertha’s
- Bokman
- Bosco
- Box E
- Bulrush
- Caper & Cure
- Fishers
- Harbour House
- Harvey Nichols
- Klosterhaus
- Little Hollows
- Marmo
- Pizzarova
- Poco
- Rocksalt
- Snobby’s
- Wilsons
Pam Lloyd of PamLloyd PR, who has worked with StreetSmart for ten years in Bristol, is continually looking for new partners to come on board and unite to help tackle homelessness. She says “With zero cost and no effect on VAT returns, it really couldn’t be easier for restaurants to join StreetSmart and help the lives of homeless people in the UK. There is still time to sign-up and make a big difference with a small change. Please do get in touch with me if you’d like to join in.”
Last year the funds raised by StreetSmart were donated to the charity 1625 Independent People in Bristol. The charity works with up to 500 young people in the Bristol area to prevent homelessness, keep them safe and support them in taking the next steps in their life.
Katy Greenlaw, the charity’s communications and community fundraising manager explains “we heavily rely on the local community for support, and we want our young people to thrive and to get to a point where they need less and less support as they go on. Knowing that your local restaurant is doing something to support you really helps with young people’s identity, knowing they’re being supported by the community around them.”
According to StreetSmart, new government figures show 6,400 households across England were at risk of ‘no fault’ evictions between January and March 2022. This number is 25 per cent higher than the same period before the pandemic in 2020 and could grow further still as the cost of living crisis bites this winter.
For more information and to sign up go to streetsmart.org.uk.
