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Prince William Sleeps On The Street For Homelessness Charity

by Yuliya Talmazan | December 22, 2009 at 03:18 pm

505 views | 26 Recommendations | 5 comments

His Royal Highness Prince William spend a night in a very unlikely place. Prince William made his bed on cardboard boxes in cold weather in the middle of a London street in an effort to raise awareness for the problem of homelessness. Prince William is a patron of Centrepoint, a British charity that provides 290,000 nights of accommodation to Britain's young homeless every year. It is estimated there are 400,000 hidden homeless people in the U.K. It was also reported that the number of homeless people in London is over 4,600.

Prince William was joined by his private secretary and Centrepoint's CEO Seyi Obakin. Obakin said Prince William had no shield from cold weather, hard concrete or drug dealers.

"I cannot, after one night, even begin to imagine what it must be like to sleep rough on London's streets night after night. Poverty, mental illness, drug and alcohol dependancy and family breakdown cause people to become and then stay homeless. Centrepoint's work - along with many other organisations' - in tackling these fundamental causes is desperately important if we are ever to end homelessness in this country. I hope that by deepening my understanding of the issue, I can help do my bit to help the most vulnerable on our streets."

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everchanging

at 17:58 on December 22nd, 2009

He definitely takes after his mother, thankfully.

The_Cynic

at 23:34 on December 22nd, 2009

Though an anti-royalist, and added to that; an Englishman, I do admire what the young prince is doing to both reinvent and bring forward a certain upper-class idea and understanding to what is sickening to see in such a wealthy nation as the UK.

The UK is and has a broken society - though when one person can 'earn' 25 million a year for being a failed banker - to be bailed out with a percentage of taxes that a homeless person spends on cigarettes seems more broken than first thought.

I think not of William, he can get in his Rolls and drive away - those homeless people will still be there for the foreseeable future - his 'allowance' could feed, house and clothe them for a year.

Uwe Paschen

at 06:22 on December 23rd, 2009

I have to agree with The_Cynic here. Good comment.

The Homeless in Tokyo could use some PR like this as well to come to their help.

http://my.nowpublic.com/world/tokyos-greatest-shame

Cornelia Amiri (not verified)

at 19:11 on December 23rd, 2009

What a wonderful example Prince William makes of the true sprit of Christmas. The season is all about, caring for and giving to others. Take a break from your Christmas shopping, baking, and other activities to help the homeless by listening to authors read wonderful stories online to raise money for the Capuchin Soup Kitchen (www.cskdetroit.org) The telethon was yesterday, Tuesday, 12/22/09, but the 11 authors' stories can be heard for the next 2 weeks free "On Demand" http:internetvoicesradio.com/Arch-Rowena.htm The stories are fabulous and it’s a wonderful opportunity to assist the homeless and give what you can to the Capuchin Soup Kitchen. The Capuchin Soup Kitchen grows organic vegetables in its <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 />Detroit farm to supply vegetables for its soups, teaches Detroiters how to grow their own vegetables, has its own On The Rise bakery to provide bread for the soup kitchen and also to teach self respect and a trade. It also provides a clean safe place where the homeless can come off the streets for a shower and a change of clothing.... and much more.

Robert Battison (not verified)

at 14:05 on January 14th, 2010

I can't believe people replied to this in a cynical manner. This is the first I've heard of Prince William's act and I couldn't be prouder. Yes he can get up and walk away. But to be prepared to go from the top to the bottom in order to help the homeless (a far worthier cause than most people worldwide are prepared to admitt) is an amazing thing. He deserves the utmost credit for this act, and the homeless a far greater share of publicity in order to help them improve their situation. If you want to be cycnical about something then go on these sites and look up what the British Government is doing to the Chagos Islanders:

chagosuk.blogspot.com
www.newstatesman.com/human-rights/2009/12/mauritius-british-chagos
www.thebigqs.co.uk (this is my site and you'll have to search here for the subject but when you find the debate believe me you'll be shocked)