During the winter of 2016 I used money I would of used to purchase Christmas presents to instead purchase useful items such as toiletries and thermal clothing. I packaged these items up in a freezer bag and gave them out to people living on the streets of London. That year I made 150 basic survival kits that were delivered across the streets of London one November evening. This was the start of Winter Streets Project.
With £120 I made 150 basic Survival Kits, which contained a hat, gloves, socks, toothpaste, a toothbrush and a lip balm.
In 2017 I raised awareness by fundraising and collecting donations in the form of items and/or money to create 462 survival kits full of toiletries, thermal clothing, rain macs, food, first aid items and stamped postcards and pens. Each kit contained 15 useful items to help someone living on the streets during the winter months. These 462 kits were delivered across London, Watford, Croydon, Chichester, Brighton, Portsmouth Southampton and Winchester.
Over 2018 and 2019 WSP made 1600 and delivered them across London, Watford, Croydon, Woking, Portsmouth, Fareham, Gosport, Southampton, Bright and Hove, Bristol, Bath, Salisbury, Winchester, Oxford, Bournemouth, Eastbourne and Birmingham. A small batch were even sent to Glasgow, and handed out by a WSP volunteer.
In The Survival Kits:
Recycled Drawstring Bag
Toothbrushes
Toothpaste
Deodorant
Wet Wipes
First Aid Items
Sanitary Items
Hand Sanitizer
Shampoo/Dry Shampoo
Combs
Shower Gel
Cereal Bars
Chocolate
Thermal Socks
Thermal Hats
Thermal Gloves
Foil Blankets
Rain Macs
Lip Balms
Moisturiser
Cotton Buds
Stamps
Postcards
Pens
At the beginning of 2020 we set out the plan of producing 1000 kits and adding the locations of Liverpool and Manchester. This plan was turned upside down by COVID-19. As many businesses struggled with the pandemic, we saw 95% of our donations dropped and had to make the tough decision of shutting Winter Streets Project down or doing a small number of kits, and hoping our funding improves for 2021.
During the winter months of 2020 and the beginning of 2021, we were able to make 200 kits which were delivered across London, Portsmouth, Fareham, Gosport, and Bristol. All these kits also included reusable face masks (with the WSP logo on) and information on COVID test centres and shelters that are still running in these difficult times.
For 2021 we achived our target of 1000 kits, which we had originally planned for 2020. This brought our total number of kits made since 2016 to 3,412. With a year off in 2022, we are back at it for 2023 and ready to add to this number.
We have set up a new Collection Pot, which is up and running if you can spare a few pennies.
Registered Charity Number 1180900 – Registered and Recognised by HMRC