Established 2005 Registered Charity No. 1110656

Scottish Charity Register No. SC043760

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Park life

November 01 2019
At StreetFest Elvis lookalike (left) delighted all singing Are you lonesome tonight? on London’s buses4homeless. Mojo (right) from Groove Groom & Grub shaved heads and beards. Here he’s with Mel who does fundraising runs for Streets Kitchen. Other highlights: the BBQ, music, poetry and nail bar. © Pavement At StreetFest Elvis lookalike (left) delighted all singing Are you lonesome tonight? on London’s buses4homeless. Mojo (right) from Groove Groom & Grub shaved heads and beards. Here he’s with Mel who does fundraising runs for Streets Kitchen. Other highlights: the BBQ, music, poetry and nail bar. © Pavement

StreetFest 2019, hosted by Give A Shift, Streets Kitchen and Jammin' for Change, is a September afternoon festival in the park for people who are homeless. Report from Jean Hindry who set up a stall for health charity Groundswell with colleague Gerry

StreetFest was organised by Haringey and Islington councils in Finsbury Park. There were various homeless charities and organisations offering advice, information and help or signpost homeless and vulnerable young people to the right service. Pets who are a great comfort to homeless people were not forgotten either, this was like a one-stop shop all in one space with a festival community feel. Under the trees there were even three music stages to entertain the visitors.

It was a chance for people to look after their mental health. It is vitally important that homeless people realise that they are entitled to a GP even if they don’t have an address.

Streets Kitchen were dishing out free food and I have to say the smell wafting over from the BBQ was making me very hungry. However, volunteers and stall holders were not allowed to take advantage of the free food, and quite right too. There were loads of clothes and shoes for homeless people to sort out to their liking, a library bus, yoga and meditation. Also proving popular was a mocktail stall, a nail bar and free haircuts.

• For a chance to volunteer try our friends at Groundswell. The office is at St Matthew’s church close to Brixton tube. www.groundswell.org.uk

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