A Sheffield homelessness charity unvelied its ‘Concrete Dreamz’ display in the city centre with the aim of showing the harsh reality that is faced by those sleeping on the streets.
The unusual ‘mattress shop’ of concrete slabs has been put on show at Bethel Chapel by The Archer Project.
Through this display, the charity hopes to start conversations with people and widen their understanding on the severity and complexity surrounding homelessness.
Talya Stitcher, the Communications and Fundraising Officer at The Archer Project acknowledged the exhibit is unique.
She said: “We know that this might be controversial but the winter campaign headline is literally ‘homelessness is no joke’ because we know first hand as a charity in the sector just how serious it is.”
The charity, which is based at Sheffield Cathedral, has been running for over 30 years, but in the last three years they have noticed a significant increase in the number of people they are supporting.
This growth has meant that resources and employment has become more expensive to maintain as well as it getting more difficult to provide help to those who need it.
Ms Stitcher said: “Any organisation will tell you it’s getting worse and they’re overstretched as we are too.”
With the help of marketing agency Black Eye Project, who came up with the ‘retail showroom’ concept, they have had this exhibition in the works for almost a year.
The charity have found it increasingly challenging to constantly capture the public’s attention on the brutality of homelessness.
“It’s very difficult to engage with people on something that I think we’re very desensitised to just as a general public,” Ms Stitcher said.
“There’s only so many times you can take a photo of someone who’s experiencing homelessness looking downtrodden or sad and lonely before that actually just doesn’t work anymore.”
The public are being urged to attend and connect with the exhibit, which will be on display for two weeks, and donate wherever possible so that the unacceptable conditions many are in can be prevented.
