Young people from Centrepoint feature in the charity's Countdown to Christmas campaign

Centrepoint, the UK's leading youth homelessness charity, today unveils a hard hitting tube poster campaign to support its urgent appeal to raise £252,900 necessary to support the 800 young people that sleep securely in Centrepoint services over the Christmas period.

The campaign features portraits of four young people from Centrepoint.  This is the first time that young people from the charity have been used in a high profile marketing campaign.   Each poster has an uncomfortable headline designed to catch the public's attention and challenge stereotypes:  Disgrace, Guilty, Dangerous and Wasted.  Read on the message in the poster is clear.

Centrepoint want the public to understand that it is a disgrace that young people face even one night sleeping on the streets - because it can be a very dangerous place for them.  They are only guilty of seeking safety; and what's wasted is their potential.

Centrepoint chief executive, Anthony Lawton, commented: "The hard hitting poster campaign supports our 'Countdown to Christmas' appeal.  We desperately need to raise the £6000 a day necessary to support our services over the festive season.  For most young homeless people, Christmas is a time of loneliness, when they feel their isolation intensely.  Winter cold can make homeless young people even more susceptible to ill health and the apparent 'kind' offers by dangerous people.  No young person should end up on the streets. With the help of the public's donations we can offer a warm bed, hot food and the support a young person needs to make a fresh start."

Half of the young people in Centrepoint services have slept rough. Most have fled family homes because of violence and abuse and have nowhere to go yet they do show up in official statistics.  Known as the "hidden homeless" many young people do not get accepted as homeless by local authorities making official figures artificially low.

To support Centrepoint this Christmas call the donation line on 0800 23 23 20 or text SAFE to 84862.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

For further information please contact Sarah Robert, Centrepoint Media Relations: 0207 423 66813 or email This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it . A pdf of the posters featured can be obtained by calling the press office.

Centrepoint is the national charity working to improve the lives of socially excluded homeless young people.  It   provides a range of services, including emergency night shelters and short stay hostels, specialist projects for care leavers, ex-offenders, young single parents, foyers and supported flats and floating support services.  These services provide the foundations from which young people can start addressing some of the issues that lead to them becoming homeless, and developing the skills they need for a sustainable future.  For more information about Centrepoint visit www.centrepoint.org.uk.