Charity praised for ‘powerful’ Christmas film about homeless mother and daughter

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Up Next Previous Page Next Page Christmas adverts are one of the best parts of the festive season, with all the big brands creating a stir with their wholesome videos. This year, charity Shelter has launched a winter appeal that puts a twist on the festive countdown in an emotional film soundtracked by Maverick Sabre. The two-minute short film tells the story of homelessness through the eyes of a mother and daughter, living in temporary accommodation.

The pair count down to Christmas Day but it’s not presents they’re waiting for; it’s a new safe social home. With Shelter’s support, the family are able to get the keys to their new life and leave behind the often freezing, damp, and cramped temporary homes. There are over 177,000 children in England who could be waking up homeless in temporary accommodation this Christmas, the highest number since records began. Shelter’s Christmas advert shares the real experiences of homeless children (Picture: Shelter) It follows a mother and daughter in the lead up to Christmas Day (Picture: Shelter) Shelter’s video was praised, with housing network Green Pastures sharing: ‘What a powerful video and message!

Great job team ❤️.’ Fundraising platform Work For Good added: ‘Powerful video to share 🙌♥️💙.’ The film is sadly not a work of fiction, with Shelter basing the story on the experiences of homeless families. Clare, a mother of two from Birmingham, became homeless after her landlord failed to fix dangerous electrical problems and severe damp and mould in her private rental. After realising it was unsafe to live there, she contacted Shelter and was put in temporary accommodation after being declared homeless by the council. ‘There wasn’t a day in those first two weeks when I didn’t cry,’ Clare said. ‘It was just this feeling of huge insecurity, and it had a massive impact on my mental health.’

She and her two children, one of whom uses a wheelchair, were moved from place to place, plagued by uncertainty and facing unsuitable conditions. After 18 months of upheaval, Clare secured a social home in her local area, sharing: ‘I started to see them both light up again. When you get your social home, that’s when the healing begins.’ The film was praised for being ‘powerful’ (Picture: Shelter) Shelter are asking people to donate this Christmas to help unhoused families (Picture: Shelter) Mairi MacRae, Acting Chief Executive at Shelter said: ‘Right now, thousands of children don’t have a safe place to call home.

With a record number of families stuck homeless, and a chronic lack of genuinely affordable homes, children often end up in freezing bedsits and grotty hostels for months or years on end. ‘Every day our services hear from families like the one in this film. Many of them are facing another winter in a damp, mouldy room that threatens their health, without any space to play or do their homework. As the film depicts so well, parents are often left trying to handle the uncertainty of not knowing when things will get better, fearing for their family’s future. ‘From supporting families to challenge unsafe conditions to helping parents navigate a system that feels stacked against them, our housing experts make sure families don’t have to face homelessness alone. ‘By donating to our Winter Appeal, people could help connect a family to an adviser who will support them on their journey to a safe, secure and permanent home.’

The film was first unveiled on Monday (November 2) in a 30-second spot on ITV, before a longer minute-long edit was released on YouTube. The full long-form version is available across social media and Shelter’s channels now.