We have been extremely active in the weeks surrounding World Homeless Day this year, as we look to use our voices to advocate for Mustard Tree’s clients. Here is just a snippet of the campaigns we have been involved in, with a huge thank you to our partners and supporters who have helped amplify our message.
The Homeless Listings
Whilst moving around Manchester during the past couple of weeks, you may have noticed ‘The Homeless Listings’ - a series of conventional estate agent ads that, rather than presenting desirable homes for sale and rent in Manchester, reflect the stark reality that people in homelessness face when looking for a place to sleep in the area.
We were incredibly fortunate to be approached by Leith - a Manchester and Edinburgh-based creative agency - who pitched the campaign to us with the offer of free outdoor advertising. Leith said "Ourselves along with Republic of Media donated their time along with media buyers who donated their ‘Out of Home’ sites to support the campaign."
Ed Brooke, Managing Partner, Leith commented; “As rents rise and the waiting list for social housing grows, the housing crisis in the UK is forcing an increasing number of people into homelessness. We’re all used to looking into estate agency windows at ads showcasing gorgeous properties, so we thought this medium would be particularly powerful in exposing the desperate situation people are facing today.”
We’d like to thank Leith, Republic of Media and all the partners who came together to support the campaign at no cost to our charity - we are massively grateful.
Spirit of Manchester Award WINNERS
We’re delighted to share that we took home the ‘Tackling Inequalities’ trophy at the Spirit of Manchester Awards!
Thank you so much for everyone who voted for us on the night, and to Ellie and Marvin who represented Mustard Tree to receive the award. You can rewatch at 2:24:00 on the below video!
Congratulations to all our fellow nominees for the Spirit of Manchester Awards, and to everyone who voted for Mustard Tree for the I Love Manchester Awards in November - fingers crossed!
Heard Storytelling at Manchester Arndale
It’s been a pleasure to be part of Heard Stortelling’s latest campaign: Random Objects of Kindness - which has brought together stories from Mustard Tree and its fellow organisations to the Manchester Arndale Centre.
Joe, Graham and Haydn (above) all contributed on behalf of Mustard Tree, with their stories available to listen to inside Manchester Arndale, or via the centre’s website.
The goal of the exhibition is to foster a greater understanding of the various factors contributing to homelessness and emphasise the importance of community support. Each “living portrait” is accompanied by an image of an item that played a pivotal role in the individual’s journey toward independent living. Visitors to the Arndale Centre can access the storytellers’ narratives by simply scanning a QR code on their mobile phones.
The free audio-visual exhibition will run until 23 October, and is located on the lower mall, near Monki.
Mustard Tree and Partners Declare Private Rent Emergency in Greater Manchester.
Leading charities from across Greater Manchester - including Mustard Tree - have declared a “private rent emergency” in the region and have called for major changes to help protect thousands of local people facing homelessness.
Stepping Stone Projects, Mustard Tree, The Booth Centre, and Greater Manchester Shelter have joined forces to launch the Greater Manchester Private Rent Emergency campaign – and are calling on councils, politicians and a range of other stakeholders to publicly recognise the crisis in the private rental sector and back their plans for reform.
This campaign aims to address the escalating homelessness crisis in the region, which the group argue is exacerbated by a perfect storm of soaring rents, frozen benefit rates, increasing evictions and the cost-of-living crisis.
The charities are calling for crucial measures to improve the private rented sector and curb the growing tide of homelessness. The campaign’s core focus revolves around the “4 R’s”:
Regulation: The swift introduction and implementation of the Renters’ Reform Bill, banning ‘no-fault’ evictions and enhancing tenant rights.
Rent Control: Greater Manchester should have the power to control private rents in order to protect tenants from unaffordable increases.
Rates of Local Housing Allowance (LHA): Increase LHA rates and reinstate indexation to ensure that the private rental sector can be accessed by households in receipt of benefits.
Rights: End age discrimination in the LHA system and discrimination based on immigration status.
Jo Walby, Chief Executive of Mustard Tree said:
“Only by recognising that we are facing a Private Rent Emergency can we start to make some of the local, regional and national changes needed to prevent even more people from experiencing homelessness.
“Our organisations are all dedicated to providing support to people in the greatest need, and we will continue in this mission. But it is also incumbent on us to advocate for a fairer, more effective system, where everyone has the right to secure housing.”
In the coming months, the organisations will be sharing further information and case studies to highlight the extent of the problem.
Join our Movement
Our monthly giving campaign is gaining momentum, but this is still just the beginning. With over 10,000 people a month now coming through our doors, we need your support more than ever.
To those who have already joined our campaign or give to us monthly - THANK YOU! Please help us get the word out by sharing this newsletter with family, friends, colleagues and community members.
Your kind donations are vital for us to continue our work and are much appreciated by us all.
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REVEALED: The Homeless Listings