Homelessness charity Shelter has partnered with B&Q to release a line of snow globes that showcase the harsh realities of living in temporary accommodation at Christmas.
The snow globes “shatter the illusion of festive perfection” showcasing depressing scenes featuring rat infestations and broken utilities.
The work was inspired by the charity’s ‘Living in Limbo’ report which found that four in ten of those surveyed reported problems with damp, mould, or condensation and over 35% had issues with insect or animal infestations.
It also reported that 57% of respondents stated living in temporary accommodation harmed their child’s health.
The initiative comes as government figures, published on 28 November, revealed 159,000 children and their families will spend the festive period in temporary accommodation, the highest number on record.
B&Q CEO, Graham Bell said: “At B&Q, we believe everybody should have a safe and settled home – especially at Christmas. But sadly, that picture-perfect festive scene may not be the reality for many children and families living in temporary accommodation.
“Since launching our partnership in 2017, our colleagues and customers have raised more than £5 million for Shelter and their partner charities – Shelter Cymru, Housing Rights in Northern Ireland, and Focus Ireland, and we are proud to be continuing our commitment to Shelter this Christmas.”
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The retailer will also donate £1 from every real Christmas tree purchase to Shelter and is running a series of fundraising events between 6 to 8 December. The store has launched a line of Shelter Christmas jumpers and cards, with all proceeds going to charity.
“It is utterly unacceptable that so many families will spend the festive season homeless and trapped in overcrowded, damp, unsafe temporary accommodation. Sky high private rents combined with a dire shortage of genuinely affordable social homes has caused homelessness to spiral and sadly it’s children who are paying the price.” added Shelter chief executive, Polly Neate.
“Too many are growing up sharing beds with siblings, in one-room hostels infested with cockroaches, bedbugs, and rats, in conditions that harm their health and futures. At Shelter we are doing everything we can through our frontline services to support families facing homelessness this winter.
She continued: “We couldn’t do this vital work without the generosity of our partners like B&Q, whose donations allow us to provide the advice, support, and practical help families need to find and keep a safe place to call home and campaign for lasting change.”
