Crisis works with many celebrities to help us raise awareness in the fight to end homelessness. Take a look below at some of our high profile supporters.
After supporting Crisis for several years, Ayo took the plunge by taking part in Crisis’ winter Icebreaker at the Brockwell Lido to help raise money for Crisis. More recently, Ayo supported our Christmas campaign, providing entertainment for guests at Crisis’ Christmas services, and helping us to raise awareness and funds for the campaign.
Homelessness is a really complicated and complex situation across Britain, but with the right approach we can end it. There’s a lot of work still to be done and I’m grateful to have the opportunity to help raise awareness where I can.
Jo Brand has been an active Crisis supporter since 2009. Amongst other things, she has hosted Crisis Square Mile Run and Midwinter Swim, performed stand-up comedy for Crisis at Christmas and in 2013 was the face of Crisis Christmas Party which raised over £100,000. In 2016, Jo launched the BBC Lifeline Appeal for Crisis on primetime TV and in 2017 she appeared with Joe Lycett in our 50th Anniversary film, written and directed by David Schneider.
Al Doyle, singer and instrumentalist with critically acclaimed and multi-award-winning bands Hot Chip and LCD Soundsystem, first supported Crisis when Hot Chip played Crisis Hidden Gigs in May 2009. More recently, in 2016, Al appeared at Common People Prom for Crisis, and that same year led a full term’s course in digital music for Crisis clients at Skylight London.
Ellie Goulding started supporting Crisis in 2015, when she joined Crisis clients for a music workshop, sharing her thoughts on song writing and answering questions about singing techniques. Ellie has been a regular volunteer at Crisis’ Christmas centres over the last five years and has supported the charity’s work to end homelessness across Great Britain.
Ellie and her management company, Tap Music, supported Crisis’ emergency response to the coronavirus pandemic by providing 400 mobile phones with data for people experiencing homelessness during the pandemic, so they could continue to access support from the charity.
Ellie will play a key role in supporting Crisis’ campaigning and fundraising to help the charity in its mission to end homelessness for good.
As a regular visitor to Crisis’ shops and having helped launch Shop from Crisis, Nyome has used her platform to increase awareness about how Crisis’ shops help raise money to end homelessness. She has also volunteered at our Elephant and Castle shop, to see first-hand the vital role the shops play in supporting Crisis’ aims.
As an Ambassador Nyome will work even closer with Crisis to raise awareness of its mission to end homelessness for good.
I’m delighted to be an Ambassador for Crisis. I believe everyone should have a safe and stable place to live so I am eager to work closely with Crisis to help make that happen. The ongoing cost-of-living crisis means that many more people could be put at risk of becoming homeless in the coming months, which means the services Crisis provides to help people will be more needed than ever. I want to assist in raising awareness and ensuring those in desperate need do not go unnoticed.
Jonathan has been a close supporter of Crisis in more ways than one. Living just a few streets from our London Skylight and head office, he has popped in to discuss ideas and attend events at the Crisis cafe, and has donated many valuable items to Crisis shops. Jonathan has sung with the Choir in Crisis Skylight classes and at carol services. This Christmas, he performed a reading from Shirley Valentine at a Christmas centre event curated by Felix Buxton of Basement Jaxx.
Imelda has supported Crisis since 2011. During that time, she’s regularly attended Crisis events, visited our services and has supported the charity’s Domestic Abuse campaign to call for a change in the law to ensure people fleeing domestic abuse can access homelessness support from their local authority. Imelda has also volunteered at the charity’s Christmas services, alongside her family, serving lunch, chatting with guests and providing support for people experiencing homelessness at one of the toughest times of year.
Homelessness is still a major issue in this country and I’m happy to do anything I can to support Crisis in their efforts to put an end to homelessness once and for all.
Alastair first supported Crisis in 2009, when he presented a BBC Lifeline film on our behalf. Since then, he has presided over numerous events and projects, most recently for News 50, our 50th anniversary steering group of news journalists, which he stewarded alongside Jeremy Paxman. Alastair supports Crisis at every possible opportunity, whether promoting Crisis at Christmas on ITV’s website or asking Gary Lineker to persuade Walkers Crisps to supply a consignment of snacks when Crisis at Christmas supplies had run out.
Sir Ian McKellen’s support for Crisis has been phenomenal. Narrating our Crisis at Christmas TV and Radio Appeals for the past three years, he has helped to raise millions for the charity. He also brings Christmas cheer to our guests by visiting rough sleepers' centres each Boxing Day. And last Christmas he hosted a special Crisis dinner at his very own riverside pub in Limehouse.
Watch the Crisis at Christmas TV appeal narrated by Sir Ian McKellen
Chris Martin has volunteered for Crisis for a staggering 20 years. And with Coldplay, he performed in both Liverpool and Newcastle as part of the Crisis Hidden Gigs series. Most recently, at Crisis at Christmas 2016, guests and volunteers at our West London centre were treated to a surprise acoustic set by Chris and our Guest Kevin.
Watch the surprise acoustic set by Chris and our guest Kevin
Legendary Hollywood actor Richard Gere visited Crisis in March 2016 to meet with clients who have been supported by Crisis in rebuilding their lives. He also heard from Chief Executive Jon Sparkes about the charity’s campaigning work to end homelessness for good.
Clients attended the premiere of Gere’s latest film, Time Out of Mind and a percentage of the proceeds from the film were donated to Crisis.
World heavyweight champion boxer Anthony Joshua wore Crisis’ name proudly on his kit when he beat Dillian Whyte at his O2 fight in December 2015.
Following the fight, Anthony joined us at one of our Crisis at Christmas centres, leading 25 guests in a boxing lesson and donating boxing kit to Crisis for all of the students. Inspired by this event, Crisis has started its own boxing class at Crisis Skylight London.
Ed Sheeran’s breakthrough song ‘The A-Team’ was based on his experience of volunteering at Crisis at Christmas. Ed has led workshops with clients in Newcastle and London and encouraged thousands to support Crisis’ ‘No Going Home’ campaign, ensuring that plans to stop under 25s from claiming housing benefit were dropped. Ed also backed Crisis’ No One Turned Away campaign, calling for every homeless person who approaches their council to get the help they need.
Watch Ed performing 'You Need Me, I Don't Need You' at Crisis Skylight Newcastle