StreetSmart team up with hundreds of UK restaurants this winter

This November and December, StreetSmart are teaming up with over 500 restaurants across the UK, asking their diners to donate £1 at the end of their meal and in turn have a dramatic impact on the lives of homeless people nearby. The project is supported by some of the UK’s best restaurants, such as Bocca di Lupo, Moro, and MEATLiquor, and has raised £7.4 million since it’s inception in 1998. The number of rough sleepers in the UK grows year on year, doubling in the past five years. In London, that figure has increased by 77% in the past five years. A staggering 80,000 young people aged between16-25 experience homelessness each year, which is why 22 cities across the length and breadth of the UK are taking part in StreetSmart this winter, from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne to Brighton and Hove. The project has many supports across the UK who recognise the value of it's cause. Marcus Wareing, chef and restauranteur said: “StreetSmart is a fabulous charity that remembers the homeless at a time of year when we should be thinking of others”. As the weather takes a turn for the worse and the winter winds engulf us, Stephen Fry, longtime supporter of the campaign, acknowledges the importance of StreetSmart’s efforts this winter. Stephen said: “As seasonal a presence on the menu as parsnips and winter greens, StreetSmart dishes always do your heart good.” Last year StreetSmart raised £551,000 during the months of November and December, supporting 95 homeless organisations across the country. All money raised is distributed locally, and thus every £1 donated makes a difference to your local area. Paradiso, a StreetSmart restaurant in Newcastle, employed one young man as a waiter after he had spent six years living on the streets who said: “I was surprised at how many people I met who had had successful jobs and had found themselves homeless. Anybody can become homeless at any time. We need charities like StreetSmart. It is so important to help homeless people and this is the hardest time of year for them. I feel fantastic when I see those StreetSmart cards on tables in restaurants.” All proceeds donated to StreetSmart will be used to support family mediation projects and projects giving the extra help required to train and employ those young people who have slipped through the system. For more information visit the StreetSmart website.