Words by Smiley Team
An award-winning coffee company and social enterprise, Change Please, has unveiled two London buses that have been repurposed to provide vital support to rough sleepers.
It’s an urgent intervention, given that over 130,000 households were made homeless because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Driving For Change buses, which were launched in commemoration of World Homeless Day on Sunday 10 October, will drive around London offering lifesaving support, from November onwards, just as winter creeps in.
The initiative - backed by sponsors HSBC UK, Colgate and sub-sponsor Mastercard - will be an all-in-one direct intervention service providing those experiencing homelessness access to free GP consultations, haircuts, dental care, digital and financial literacy training, support opening a bank account where appropriate, employment support, shower facilities, therapy assessments, and essential everyday items.
Additionally, Change Please are in talks with the NHS to provide vaccinations against Covid-19 on the buses for rough sleepers.
(Read more about Manchester’s ‘tap to donate’ points to help the homeless)
The November roll-out will see Driving for Change run for a minimum of two years, with ambition to expand throughout the UK starting in Manchester, then moving abroad to Paris, and throughout the United States.
Founder of Change Please, Cemal Ezel said: “We are thrilled to take this next step in tackling the homelessness crisis in England and the Driving for Change project will help us reach those in need throughout London. At Change Please we believe in sustainable approaches to ending homelessness and Driving for Change will give the most vulnerable people the opportunity to access crucial services which can guide and support them in changing their lives long-term.
"We hope to take the project nationwide and then internationally to achieve maximum impact; discussions around Paris and Los Angeles have already begun.”
(Find out how one art project is helping the homeless)
HSBC UK will provide support and resources on financial wellbeing, and can assist people in opening a basic bank account with their ‘No Fixed Address’ service.
Colgate and Community Dental Services CIC (CDS CIC) will offer access to dental care and oral health education as part of their commitment to providing healthy and confident smiles for everyone. Mastercard is also on board, with a representative from its ‘Nobody in the Dark’ campaign present to impart key digital literacy skills.
Designed by leading architecture and design firm TP Bennett, the interior design concept on each bus offers a safe space to make attendees feel comfortable and at ease.
Driving for Change has also been made possible by customers continuing to buy Change Please coffee, as 100% of profits from the coffee business go towards financing charitable activities.
Change Please continues its six-year-long work with people who are homeless, providing them with the resources to turn their lives around. Through its barista training program, Change Please takes pride in its efforts to work directly with those experiencing homelessness to provide a long-term solution, to not only lift people out of homelessness, but to offer sustainable support to give people a real chance to get their life back.
You can learn more about Change Please here.
