After speaking to a homeless man who said "people don't give me money because they think I'll just spend it on crack and cider," Londoners Charley and Scarlett decided to take a more hands-on approach to helping rough sleepers.
The east London duo have set up their own pop-up shop on Kingsland Road, provocatively named Crack + Cider. Pop in from 5 November, and you can buy clothing and winter essentials to be given to homeless people by soup kitchens.
Items include a jacket, gloves, hat, socks, fleece, backpack and umbrella. It's all high quality and durable; they'll keep those wearing them a bit warmer this winter, and maybe subsequent winters too.
The items are being sold with a 50-100% mark-up on the wholesale price in order to cover costs and purchase additional stock. Costs are kept to a minimum and are mostly for creating further awareness of the project, including packaging, flyers and the website. No one involved gets paid, so all money raised is going directly to the cause. The online shop has already raised over £1,000 ahead of the opening of the physical store.
The shop itself opens on Kingsland Road on 5 November in creative space One Good Deed Today. The use of the space has been donated without charge for the seven weeks Crack + Cider will be open.
If you want to help, buy now on the website or visit the shop at One Good Deed Today, 72 Kingsland Road E2 8AG. Opens Thursday 5 November (open Thursday- Sunday in November and every day of December until 23 December). Follow @crackandcider
