Bright orange headphones have been installed across the capital city which detail the experiences of people who have faced homelessness.
It’s no secret that London has been facing a growing homelessness crisis for decades. Statistics and local government policies have dominated headlines, but it seems that reading about the problem isn’t enough.
Against this backdrop, homelessness charity St Mungo’s have launched a new, humanistic campaign to draw people’s attention to the issue. Workers have installed ‘herephones’ across the capital city which tell the stories of people who have experienced sleeping rough.
Bright orange in colour, the headsets are situated in the exact locations that members of the charity spoke to homeless people and helped them to safety. Some of the locations include Whitechapel Highstreet, Westminster Bridge Road and Talgarth Road in Hammersmith & Fulham.
The stories are narrated by various well-known TV and film personalities, including Nigel Boyle who is best known for his role as ‘H’ in Line of Duty and Lainy Boyle who starred in BBC’s The Dumping Group. While these individuals are best known for playing fictional characters, the stories within this campaign are supremely real.
David, aged 62, whose real story features in the campaign, said: ‘I was homeless on and off for 10 years, including through the lockdown which was incredibly lonely. Following a particularly terrifying attack while sleeping rough one night, I’d begun to lose all hope. But this all changed when I discovered St Mungo’s.
‘With the charity’s support, I was provided counselling and moral support as well as food vouchers. They’ve also helped negotiate on my behalf around debt repayment, which gives me more time to concentrate on my film studies – a Life-long passion of mine. I hope that by sharing my story it’ll give hope to those who find themselves sleeping rough – I’m proof you can rebuild your life.’
News of the initiative comes as figures from the Combined Homelessness and Information Network (CHAIN) show the number of people sleeping rough in London from April 2024 to March 2025 was 13,231 – a 10% increase on the previous year and a 63% rise compared to a decade ago.
‘We encourage members of the public to take a minute to pause and listen to the inspiring stories shared though our Herephones,’ Emma Haddad, CEO at St Mungo’s, said. ‘They are a tribute to everyone who has been affected by homelessness, each with a story to tell.
‘We are in the middle of a homelessness emergency. More and more people are being met by our frontline workers day and night: a warm smile, a friendly chat, and an offer of emergency accommodation can be a lifeline for people facing homelessness. St Mungo’s has been there for them for the past 55 years and will continue to be there – until we have ended homelessness for good.’
Image via St Mungo’s.
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