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The first ‘March for the Homeless’ took place in cities across the UK last month, calling for action to address homelessness across the globe. The Pavementteam was in London and Glasgow to talk to people about why it matters and what changes they want. Reporting by Carinya Sharples, and images by Alice Facchini and Ilisa Stack.
There were companions from Emmaus in their green T-shirts. Rough sleepers and hostel users with rucksacks and bags. Activists from the Aylesbury Estate protest and Focus E15 group, both determined to not go down without a struggle. A samba group and an amplified mobile protest band. Cardboard Citizens director Adrian Jackson holding a sound mic for a film crew. Centrepoint user Ben, with a giant ‘#IAmVisible’ sign, encouraged young homeless people to vote. Posters, leaflets and banners were emblazoned with messages from the TUSC (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition) Against Cuts campaign, People Before Profit, the Eviction Resistance Network, the Socialist Worker and many others.
This is the March for the Homeless, held on April 15 and all are here with a message: it’s time to tackle homelessness.
Founded by Darren Bradley in Dublin, it’s aiming to be a global movement, held annually. “The campaign is here to stay,” promise organisers. Marches were held across the UK, with people taking to the streets in cities including Glasgow, Leeds and Manchester. Other protests and rallies took place in Ireland, the US and Canada.
But it was in London, that the largest UK presence was felt. “The homeless people have found a voice,” declares Jon Glackin of Streets Kitchen, which organised the London leg of the day of protest. “Our aim was to raise the issue of no more deaths on our streets. We want to get the homeless community organised.”
In London, participants gathered along Whitehall, directly opposite Downing Street, where protests are common. Then in a sudden surge everyone flooded out into the road: blocking traffic, sitting on the road, eating food from the Hari Krishna mobile stall, and raising their banners up high. The police attempted to persuade people to move onto the pavement, but they stayed put.
The issues of concern varied. John Xuevet, who is currently living in a housing cooperative that’s due to go back into council ownership, despaired at the ‘extortionate’ rents and housing prices: “I could work three lifetimes and save every penny and I still wouldn’t be able to afford to buy a place… In 1980, rent was £10 a week: now it’s £110–120 a week depending on the area. In the next five years, council rent will overtake my wages."
Michael was “pissed off” that despite having a deposit for a flat, he can’t find a landlord that will take DSS.
Justin Thyme, who set out outreach project Homeless Reach last year, called for “more Housing First options – getting people into homes first then dealing with other issues”.
A homeless couple on their first-ever march spoke of the difficulties of finding a place to stay together, the violence and intimidation many street homeless people face, and the high cost of spending a penny (or now, for public toilets in many London stations, 30p). After all, it’s the every day things that matter.
What would you change? Get in touch and tell us what really matters. karin@thepavement.org.uk
June – July 2024 : Reflections
CONTENTS
BACK ISSUES
- Issue 150 : June – July 2024 : Reflections
- Issue 149 : April – May 2024 : Compassion
- Issue 148 : February – March 2024 : The little things
- Issue 147 : December 2023 – January 2024 : Next steps
- Issue 146 : October 2023 – November 2023 : Kind acts
- Issue 145 : August 2023 – September 2023 : Mental health
- Issue 144 : June 2023 – July 2023 : Community
- Issue 143 : April 2023 - May 2023 : Hope springs
- Issue 142 : February 2023 - March 2023 : New Beginnings
- Issue 141 : December 2022 - January 2023 : Winter Homeless
- Issue 140 : October - November 2022 : Resolve
- Issue 139 : August - September 2022 : Creativity
- Issue 138 : June - July 2022 : Practical advice
- Issue 137 : April - May 2022 : Connection
- Issue 136 : February - March 2022 : RESPECT
- Issue 135 : Dec 2021 - Jan 2022 : OPPORTUNITY
- Issue 134 : September-October 2021 : Losses and gains
- Issue 133 : July-August 2021 : Know Your Rights
- Issue 132 : May-June 2021 : Access to Healthcare
- Issue 131 : Mar-Apr 2021 : SOLUTIONS
- Issue 130 : Jan-Feb 2021 : CHANGE
- Issue 129 : Nov-Dec 2020 : UNBELIEVABLE
- Issue 128 : Sep-Oct 2020 : COPING
- Issue 127 : Jul-Aug 2020 : HOPE
- Issue 126 : Health & Wellbeing in a Crisis
- Issue 125 : Mar-Apr 2020 : MOVING ON
- Issue 124 : Jan-Feb 2020 : STREET FOOD
- Issue 123 : Nov-Dec 2019 : HOSTELS
- Issue 122 : Sep 2019 : DEATH ON THE STREETS
- Issue 121 : July-Aug 2019 : INVISIBLE YOUTH
- Issue 120 : May-June 2019 : RECOVERY
- Issue 119 : Mar-Apr 2019 : WELLBEING
- Issue 118 : Jan-Feb 2019 : WORKING HOMELESS
- Issue 117 : Nov-Dec 2018 : HER STORY
- Issue 116 : Sept-Oct 2018 : TOILET TALK
- Issue 115 : July-Aug 2018 : HIDDEN HOMELESS
- Issue 114 : May-Jun 2018 : REBUILD YOUR LIFE
- Issue 113 : Mar–Apr 2018 : REMEMBRANCE
- Issue 112 : Jan-Feb 2018
- Issue 111 : Nov-Dec 2017
- Issue 110 : Sept-Oct 2017
- Issue 109 : July-Aug 2017
- Issue 108 : Apr-May 2017
- Issue 107 : Feb-Mar 2017
- Issue 106 : Dec 2016 - Jan 2017
- Issue 105 : Oct-Nov 2016
- Issue 104 : Aug-Sept 2016
- Issue 103 : May-June 2016
- Issue 102 : Mar-Apr 2016
- Issue 101 : Jan-Feb 2016
- Issue 100 : Nov-Dec 2015
- Issue 99 : Sept-Oct 2015
- Issue 98 : July-Aug 2015
- Issue 97 : May-Jun 2015
- Issue 96 : April 2015 [Mini Issue]
- Issue 95 : March 2015
- Issue 94 : February 2015
- Issue 93 : December 2014
- Issue 92 : November 2014
- Issue 91 : October 2014
- Issue 90 : September 2014
- Issue 89 : July 2014
- Issue 88 : June 2014
- Issue 87 : May 2014
- Issue 86 : April 2014
- Issue 85 : March 2014
- Issue 84 : February 2014
- Issue 83 : December 2013
- Issue 82 : November 2013
- Issue 81 : October 2013
- Issue 80 : September 2013
- Issue 79 : June 2013
- Issue 78 : 78
- Issue 77 : 77
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- Issue 75 : 75
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- Issue 69 : 69
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- Issue 63 : 63
- Issue 62 : 62
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- Issue 55 : 55
- Issue 54 : 54
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- Issue 49 : 49
- Issue 48 : 48
- Issue 47 : 47
- Issue 46 : 46
- Issue 45 : 45
- Issue 44 : 44
- Issue 43 : 43
- Issue 42 : 42
- Issue 5 : 05
- Issue 4 : 04
- Issue 2 : 02
- Issue 1 : 01
- Issue 41 : 41
- Issue 40 : 40
- Issue 39 : 39
- Issue 38 : 38
- Issue 37 : 37
- Issue 36 : 36
- Issue 35 : 35
- Issue 34 : 34
- Issue 33 : 33
- Issue 10 : 10
- Issue 9 : 09
- Issue 6 : 06
- Issue 3 : 03
- Issue 32 : 32
- Issue 31 : 31
- Issue 30 : 30
- Issue 29 : 29
- Issue 11 : 11
- Issue 12 : 12
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- Issue 15 : 15
- Issue 16 : 16
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- Issue 18 : 18
- Issue 19 : 19
- Issue 20 : 20
- Issue 21 : 21
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- Issue 23 : 23
- Issue 24 : 24
- Issue 25 : 25
- Issue 8 : 08
- Issue 7 : 07
- Issue 26 : 26
- Issue 27 : 27
- Issue 28 : 28
- Issue 1 : 01