News / homelessness
One woman’s mission to raise £25,000 for homelessness charities
Claire Allen is looking forward to seeing some familiar sights as she reaches her home city on the next leg of an epic 5,000 mile walk.
The charity communications professional has embarked on the year-long mammoth trek around the coast of Britain in a bid to raise £25,000 for two homelessness charities, Only A Pavement Away and Shelter.
After almost seven months – and some 4,000km – Claire will be reaching her next milestone, Bristol, this week. As she approaches her home city, Claire says she is very grateful for the support she has received from friends, families and strangers she’s met along the way.
is needed now More than ever
From offering her a bed for the night and walking with her on stretches of her gruelling journey, to sharing their own experiences with homelessness, she has been inspired and empowered by so many people.
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One of these people is Luke, a barman and waiter, who spent ten years experiencing homelessness and moving from city to city, including Bristol. He slept rough in the Bear Pit and Castle Park and set up what he calls a “tent city” – a little community of around eight tents where he lived for nearly a year.
Speaking about his experiences, Luke said: “It’s exhausting. You never sleep, you rest, but you’re always awake, listening. I’ve had loads of kickings – just for being in a tent, for playing my didgeridoo on the street, for nothing.”
Luke got back on his feet, only to lose his job when the pandemic hit.
Now working at a pub in Sussex, Luke says he couldn’t be more grateful to the pub manager and staff who had faith in him.
Claire Allen is walking around the coast of Britain to raise money for homelessness charities
Carrying her belongings with her, Claire has battled intense weather conditions, an infected tick bite and even a particularly dangerous encounter with a wild fox that succeeded in ripping open her tent on her fundraising expedition.
Finding somewhere to sleep every night has been challenging for her, especially during winter. Besides camping, B&Bs and hotels have generously offered her a free stay, she’s also relied on the kindness and support of her friends, family and strangers.
“For me, spending a year away from home, staying somewhere different every night, is a choice,” says Claire.
“But there are thousands of people who have no option but to sleep on the streets or stay somewhere unsafe or insecure.”
Recent research from Shelter shows that 2,967 people were homeless on any given night in Bristol.
“Homelessness is a crisis that none of us can ignore,” says, Claire speaking on this issue.
“Having no fixed abode opens your eyes to the importance of access to basic facilities – drinking water, public toilets, warm spaces to sit. I’ve spent a lot of time in public libraries, railway station waiting rooms because they’re warm, dry and free.”
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Arriving in Bristol will mean some time for Claire to get some rest and reflect on her efforts to raise awareness on the issue of homelessness.
“It’ll be lovely to catch up with friends, do my washing and take a minute to reflect on the last six months and the astonishing support I’ve had from friends, contacts and complete strangers,” she adds.
All photos: Claire Allen
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