Whilst we obsess over what we’re buying our loved ones this Christmas, have you spared a thought for those who are wondering where they will be sleeping tonight?

West London Mission (WLM) sure has…..the charity working to empower people affected by homelessness, poverty and trauma to live more fulfilling lives, launched its first ever campaign earlier this month, designed to build support by making homelessness more relatable.

Behind that campaign is Panagiotis Balalas, Communications and Marketing Manager at WLM and well known radio producer for London Greek Radio 103.3fm.

Under the strapline: ‘…Sleeping rough. Homeless is what they are, not who they are,’ the #NotWhoTheyAre campaign, devised by AMV BBDO, seeks to bring to life the human side of homelessness and help people relate more to the people they might see on the streets – each of them with different backgrounds, different problems, different strengths and different stories.

One poster at Marylebone station reads: “She is a daughter and a big sister. World’s only sprout lover. Won’t be seen with her hair down. Dead scared of pigeons. Sleeping on the street.” Another states: “He is a dad of two. A Brentford fan. Can finish any crossword. Excellent at conkers. Sleeping in the park.”

In London, we’ve seen an 18% year-on-year rise in homelessness from 2018 to 2019. The topic is rarely out of the news and is increasingly visible on our streets. Yet for many passers-by, it is all too easy to walk past that homeless person without engaging, either because they are too busy, or simply because homelessness seems too great a problem or someone else’s issue.
Panagiotis told Parikiaki: “Homelessness is a problem we can’t afford to ignore anymore, so we wanted to make the problem feel more real for people to make them think twice about walking past homeless individuals without taking action.

“All too often, ‘the homeless’ are bucketed into the same group – the assumption being that all suffer from the same problems. But as we all know, everyone is individual with their own distinct skillsets, passions, dislikes and personalities. So why should homeless people be viewed otherwise?”
In making the problem feel more real, Panagiotis’ hope is that people will consider helping WLM’s mission of getting homeless individuals off the street and, more importantly, into permanent accommodation and employment. Because homeless is what they are, #NotWhoTheyAre.

To make a donation, however big or small, please visit the website www.wlm.org.uk/donate