With over 17 million people across the UK due to purchase their Christmas trees this week, the nation is gearing up for a weekend of decorating and festivities.
Many will be adorning their homes with Christmas cards, snow globes and decorations depicting cosy cottages, presents under the tree and stockings hung on warming fireplaces. But for many people experiencing homelessness and living in temporary accommodation, the picture of this perfect Christmas is in stark contrast to the reality of their living conditions.
Latest government figures, released on 28th November 2024, show that 159,380 children across England are spending this winter in temporary accommodation – the highest number on record.
To highlight the bleak and often inadequate conditions that many families are experiencing this Christmas, B&Q has partnered with Shelter and real families to create alternative snow globe scenes that shatter the illusion of festive perfection. These snow globe baubles are based on true accounts from families living in temporary accommodation.
The alternative snow globe scenes will be hung on trees at B&Q stores nationwide from this week. B&Q is donating £1 from every real tree sold to Shelter across the festive season and hosting fundraising activities across 311 stores throughout the UK from 6th – 8th December where customers can donate at checkout which will then be matched by B&Q. The retailer is also selling Shelter Christmas jumpers and cards with all proceeds donated to the charity.
The B&Q initiative was inspired by Shelter’s ‘Living in Limbo’ report that surveyed over 1,000 people living in temporary accommodation****. The report found that a devastating four in 10 (40%) reported problems with damp, mould or condensation, over a third (35%) had issues with insect or animal infestations and over half of parents (57%) say that living in temporary accommodation has harmed their child’s health.
Graham Bell, CEO of B&Q, says: “At B&Q, we believe everybody should have a safe and settled home – especially at Christmas. But sadly, that picture-perfect festive scene may not be the reality for many children and families living in temporary accommodation. Since launching our partnership in 2017, our colleagues and customers have raised more than £5 million for Shelter and their partner charities – Shelter Cymru, Housing Rights in Northern Ireland and Focus Ireland, and we are proud to be continuing our commitment to Shelter this Christmas.”
Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, says: “It is utterly unacceptable that so many families will spend the festive season homeless and trapped in overcrowded, damp, unsafe temporary accommodation. Sky high private rents combined with a dire shortage of genuinely affordable social homes has caused homelessness to spiral and sadly it’s children who are paying the price. Too many are growing up sharing beds with siblings, in one-room hostels infested with cockroaches, bedbugs, and rats, in conditions that harm their health and futures.
“At Shelter we are doing everything we can through our frontline services to support families facing homelessness this winter. We couldn’t do this vital work without the generosity of our partners like B&Q, whose donations allow us to provide the advice, support, and practical help families need to find and keep a safe place to call home and campaign for lasting change.”
To find your nearest B&Q to purchase your tree and help donate towards B&Q and Shelter’s shared mission, visit: https://www.diy.com/find-a-store.
B&Q also fully funds Shelter’s DIY Skills Advisor Service that helps people to gain fundamental DIY skills to build a positive future in their homes by sharing practical skills and supporting home improvement tasks after a prolonged period of homelessness.
