Launched to leverage the start of the 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup, a line-up of stars from England’s national team linked with football pundits and fans to front UK homeless charity Centrepoint’s #NotComingHome campaign.
The marketing push aims to raise awareness of homeless young people who are ‘not coming home’ this winter. Indeed, Centrepoint estimates that almost 30,000 young people aged 16-to-24 will face homelessness in England over the festive season.
This equates to five people for every minute of football played during Qatar 2022.
Among the England players fronting the campaign are Manchester City FC central defender John Stones, Liverpool FC wing back Trent Alexander-Arnold and Arsenal star Beth Mead and they are joined by England 1966 World Cup winner Sir Geoff Hurst and player-turned-pundit Micah Richards.
Other famous faces taking part in the campaign include former rugby star Ugo Monye, TV personality and former lower league footballer Mark Wright, comedians Jack Whitehall and Asim Chaudhry, TV and radio presenter Lauren Layfield, Love Island star and sports influencer Josh Denzel, actor Jeremy Irvine, radio personalities Richie Anderson and Roman Kemp and gamer & YouTube sensation Elz the Witch.
Rolling out from 16 November, days ahead of the tournament kick-off, the spearhead spot reverses the well-known England football fan ‘It’s Coming Home’ chant and is titled ‘Not Coming Home This Winter’
The hero video and supporting content seek to drive viewers online to donate at https://bit.ly/3WZDGs3 and support the charity helping homeless young people turn their lives around.
“This cost-of-living crisis is pushing vulnerable young people closer to breaking point than ever before,” explained Centrepoint Chief Executive Seyi Obakin OBE. “Everyone should be able to keep a roof over their heads, pay their bills and put food on the table. That is becoming increasingly difficult for the country’s most vulnerable young people, some of whom have just £5 a week to live on after rent and bills. This comes at an enormous personal cost of skipped meals, poor mental health and isolation.”
“Around 30,000 young people could face homelessness this winter – but this is a conservative prediction, and it is likely that this number will be significantly higher,” continued Obakin. “The government has taken some steps to support young people during this crisis, but it’s clear that they are still struggling. We need further action if we are to avoid more and more young people facing homelessness.”
Comment
Last year Centrepoint research found that UK youth homelessness figures had reached a five-year high driven by the Covid-19 pandemic and this year’s figures are expected to climb even higher due to the cost of living crisis. Centrepoint has also reported an increase in calls to its Helpline in the last 12 months, driven by various factors including the soaring cost of living.
This is one of several charity and cause campaigns leveraging the 2022 FIFA men’s World Cup in the UK: others include food charity Fareshare’s ‘So Here It Is Jordan Pickford’ fund raising Christmas/World Cup single and Barclay’s Community Football Fund’s ‘Made In Wandsworth’ with West Ham Utd Michail Antonio.
https://www.englandfootball.com/
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