Shelter's powerful billboards reinforce what it means to be homeless at Christmas

As Christmas Day approaches and temperatures drop in the U.K., a powerful outdoor campaign by homeless charity Shelter is reinforcing what it means to be homeless for the holidays. The starkly shot images juxtapose holiday traditions with the plight of people who have to sleep outside in freezing temperatures and in unsafe temporary accommodation. One billboard features a a tent festooned with Christmas lights pitched under a gloomy bridge at night time; another shows an isolated, fairy light-strewn bus shelter housing someone’s blanket; there's also a festively-decorated park bench and a fairy-lit back seat of a car, both of which double as rough sleepers’ beds for the night, together with the line: “This is no place to spend Christmas." The campaign was created pro bono by AMV BBDO and supported by Posterscope and MG OMD. Earlier in the holiday period, Shelter launched a TV ad by Don't Panic London that showed what the holidays are like for a child living with his mother in temporary accommodation. “It’s truly shocking that so many thousands of people in England are currently homeless or facing homelessness, especially as the temperatures plummet and we approach Christmas," said Shelter CEO Polly Neate, in a statement. "This campaign is a stark illustration of homelessness and I hope everyone who see it is encouraged to join Shelter in our fight against the housing emergency."

Shelter's powerful billboards reinforce what it means to be homeless at Christmas

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