Rhythms of Life is a London homeless charity
Every day, 365 days of the year, our amazing volunteers hit London’s streets to help those in need. Founded in 2008 by Andrew Faris, a former rough-sleeper of 6 years. Andrew always wanted to provide what he never had – nutritious food, life skills, job skills, money management, toiletries and clean clothes.
Andrew Faris who runs Rhythms of Life charity for homeless in London. Photograph: Alicia Canter/The Guardian
Emergency - Headquarters ransacked
At the beginning of September, squatters took over the HQ of Rhythms of Life. A month later they left taking everything with them.
They took all the items due to go to those in need including toiletries and sleeping bags to give to people sleeping on the streets, donations that had been collected for Rhythms of Life 12 days of Christmas campaign, as well as books and toys that had been collected for Great Ormond Street Hospital. They also took the laptops and whiteboards used by those taking the much needed Rhythms of Life courses and even took or destroyed desks and chairs and even the kettle to make a cup of tea.
Irreplaceable items were also stolen. Andrew's portfolio of photos he took including those of celebrities and models from the job which enabled him to get off the streets, is also gone.
At the same time to make things even worse, Rhythms of Life were also evicted from the space and have themselves been homeless since then. They now have to pay for a temporary kitchen in order to make much needed hot food. For now, they continue to deliver food where they can but it is only what they are given that requires no preparation or cooking.
Photo of the Rhythms of Life HQ after the squatters left
We're raising £20,000
We need to raise at least £20,000 to cover the kits to support people sleeping rough.
£300 for handwarmers
£3000 will replace the stolen toiletries
£3600 will cover tents for 150 people
£6000 will cover 150 winter packs containing socks, hats, scarves and floor mats
£6600 will provide 150 sleeping bags
If we can raise more than this, they need funding so they get back into a working kitchen to make hot food to give out 3x a week, ideally for 3 months to get them providing hot food during the coldest months of winter
£3000 will get them 60 hours of temporary kitchen space per month
IF we can raise some more they can start on restarting the much needed courses
£3000 will get them 12 second-hand refurbished laptops
In August 2023 London Councils estimated that one in 50 people in Londoners are homeless.
Cases of of homelessness in London rose by 54% between 2013 and 2023
56% of all unhoused people in the UK are in London.
Help us get them back doing what they do best.