Raising Awareness on the Streets of Shoreditch

Raising Awareness on the Streets of Shoreditch

Every child deserves a space to sleep peacefully, play freely, learn confidently and grow. Yet in London, one in three children are living in poverty, with many living in empty housing without essential furniture, like a bed, curtains or carpet.

At The Childhood Trust, we transform the bedrooms of children living in poverty – because every child deserves a safe space to call their own.

Hackney has one of the highest rates of child poverty in London, and our new mural in Shoreditch brings this message to life. With thanks to Cain and Global Street Art, you can visit the mural wall at Great Eastern Street in Shoreditch until 30th March.

The installation coincides with the launch of our ‘Housed but Not Homed’ report, which explores the impact of furniture poverty and poor housing conditions on children and families across London.

Josephine McCartney, Chief Executive of The Childhood Trust, said: “Furniture poverty is too often overlooked and systemically underfunded. Many people aren’t even aware that a third of children in London live in poverty, which rises to 45% in boroughs such as Hackney.

“Data from our research partner, End Furniture Poverty, reveals that just 2% of social housing tenancies in England are part or fully furnished. We see too often the struggle families face in furnishing their council house, with children sleeping on a mattress on the floor, not having a wardrobe or a desk to do their homework. We see too often the struggle families face in furnishing their homes, with children sleeping on a mattress on the floor, no wardrobe to hang clean clothes or a desk to do homework.

“This mural seeks to raise awareness of furniture poverty, and the incredible impact transforming a child’s bedroom can have on their wellbeing and development. With your support, we can create safe and inspiring spaces for children living in poverty in London.”