Jon Snow is throwing his support behind a £10,000 effort to keep a youth homelessness centre open over Christmas.
The Channel 4 News anchor has been involved with London’s New Horizon Youth Centre for around 50 years as a volunteer, chair and now patron.
And he is backing the #ShedLight campaign organised by charity ADot to keep the centre running every day over the festive period.
The Big Issue visited the New Horizon Youth Centre last year as part of our investigation into hidden homelessness – it gives 16-21 year olds with nowhere to live a place of support.
They are offered hot cooked food, showers and laundry as well as assistance with finding jobs, permanent housing as well as healthcare.
New Horizon’s services may be in particular need over the Christmas period with family arguments and breakdown leaving young people at risk of becoming homeless in tumbling temperatures.
To promote the cause, ADot have put together a striking film that aims to draw attention to the homelessness issue by wrapping real homeless people in Christmas lights.
Snow said: “For over 50 years New Horizon Youth Centre has been a force for transforming the lives of vulnerable and homeless young people across London and now helps over 2000 individuals every year, providing everything from hot food and showers to finding them housing and jobs.
“We are so grateful to ADot Foundation for choosing to support this vital work for those most in need and would ask people to give whatever they can afford – we value every gift no matter the size.”
For three yeas in my twenties I ran New Horizon….then I was Chair till a couple of years ago, now I am a Patron and it is the closest cause to my heart. Please give what you can. Thank you, Jon https://t.co/BYma4t1a6h
— Jon Snow (@jonsnowC4) December 17, 2018
Phil Kerry, CEO of New Horizon Youth Centre added: “With temperatures dropping it is a grim time for many homeless young people we support, their loneliness becoming all the more apparent, and their need for support more urgent.”
Details of how to donate can be found here.
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