Ed Sheeran joins our A-team with praise for ‘amazing’ Centrepoint appeal to help young homeless
Ed Sheeran today became one the latest stars to hail the work of homelessness charity Centrepoint and the support of Evening Standard readers as our Christmas Appeal reached £2 million.
The singer, 25, slept outside Buckingham Palace and on the Tube as a struggling musician and wrote his break-out hit, The A-Team, after visiting a homeless shelter.
He said: “I’m proud to support the new Centrepoint helpline. Well done to the Evening Standard for backing this amazing campaign to help homeless young people.”
Kate Moss, Ellie Goulding, Craig David, Roger Daltrey, Stephen Fry and Nile Rodgers are among stars who have endorsed the appeal.
Today Apprentice star Lord Sugar also gave his backing.
“Centrepoint is about getting young people back on their own two feet so they’re in a position to get a job and get a home,” he said.
“That’s all. It’s not about handouts, it’s about support and stability. We all know people whose lives have gone a little off-track, and the Centrepoint helpline is being set up to pull them back in. It’s a simple thing, but so important.”
DJ and TV presenter Sara Cox, one of the charity’s ambassadors, said: “Wow - £2 million! Well done everyone.
"This is amazing. I don’t know what would happen to these young people if it wasn’t for Centrepoint.
"What really resonates is they don’t just give them a bed for the night, they help them back into college or employment - teach them life skills like how to budget, help them with housing, get them on track and finish off the job that traditionally parents would do.”
Bond actor and fellow ambassador Colin Salmon, who was homeless in London as a young man, said: “Well done to all the readers for supporting the Young and Homeless Helpline appeal. Centrepoint is illuminating, inspiring and hugely important.”
Other stars urged readers to keep on giving to the appeal to ensure the helpline can be funded long-term and that other vital services to which callers will be linked can have secure futures.
TV presenter Lorraine Kelly said: “Please help Centrepoint by donating to their Evening Standard Christmas campaign, helping young people who are homeless or facing homelessness this Christmas.
"Centrepoint and the Evening Standard are changing the face of homelessness, so please help donate to this worthy cause.”
Downton Abbey actor Jim Carter said: “I find it hard to believe that so many young and vulnerable people should be homeless and in many cases having to sleep on the streets.
"In 2016, in Britain, that’s insane. Thank goodness that Centrepoint is there.”
The Evening Standard's Homeless Helpline appeal is raising money for the Centrepoint Helpline, a brand new support service that will save young people from ending up on the streets.
To donate please visit our Just Giving page.
