Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Please support our 5 ‘Team Circle’ London Marathon runners by helping them raise £30,000 for our own youth homelessness charity, Alone in London.

 

The number of young people, who are homeless, is rising dramatically. Last year, in the eight months, from April to November, the number of young people rough sleeping in London soared by 32%, a shocking situation that we fear will get worse with all the cutbacks.

 

Last year, at Alone in London, they helped over 1,500 young people, who contacted their helpline or visited their drop-in centre. All of the young people were in varying states of desperation after experiencing physical, emotional or even sexual abuse. Many were suffering from mental health issues.

 

Most of the young people, who come to Alone in London, do so as a result of family breakdown or eviction, or after leaving an institutional environment like prison or the care system. The support Alone in London provides includes advice and guidance, mental health counseling and advice on education, vocational training and employment. However, in the first instance, the priority is to find a safe place for the young people to stay. The charity also runs a highly regarded prevention programme in schools.

 

With your support, at least 150 vulnerable young people will benefit from the £30,000 we aim to raise for Alone in London’s crisis support services.  

 

With the economy the way it is, we know the number of homeless young people is increasing. Now we read that charities are reporting high levels of young people not in education, training or employment. This situation is going to get worse. So, that’s why I am running for Alone in London. John Gray