Restaurants raise £750,000 for StreetSmart
The 2022 StreetSmart Christmas campaign, which was supported by some 550 restaurants and gave diners the option to add a voluntary £1 per table donation to their bills during November and December, raised over £50,000 more than it did last year.
All money raised through the scheme contributes to 'achieving impactful social change by supporting people rough sleeping and those in unsuitable accommodation'.
Standout figures from the latest campaign included Burnt Orange in Brighton, which raised £6,000; and Celentano’s in Glasgow, which raised £2,000 to fund projects in their local communities.
Meanwhile in London, The River Café in Hammersmith raised £14,000; pub group Cubitt House raised £24,000; and ACME Fire Cult in Dalston raised £1,300.
The eateries in Selfridges alone raised £97,000. These funds will be used to provide accommodation for 18–25-year-olds who do not have a safe and secure place to call home, distributed between Centrepoint in London and Manchester, and St Basils in Birmingham.
StreetSmart has raised nearly £12m since its foundation in 1998, and 100% of what is raised goes to help those in need as the campaign costs are covered by StreetSmart’s partner LandAid, a property industry charity working to end youth homelessness in the UK.
More than 50 UK homelessness charities now benefit each year, with funds supporting services in housing, mental health advice, training and job support as well as organisations providing a safe place to sleep for the night.
Paul Morrish, Chief Executive at LandAid, said: “I am delighted at the total raised from the 2022 StreetSmart campaign. LandAid are proud of the special relationship that we have with StreetSmart, and it has been amazing to see such enthusiasm across the hospitality and property industries in supporting the campaign, particularly during some testing years.
“This small choice will create huge impact in supporting homelessness projects that will bring both relief and security to those who need it most across the country.”
