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22 May 2020

The Worshipful the Mayor of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Councillor Gerard Hargreaves, has chosen Glass Door as his charity of the year.

Vital support in an uncertain year

Gerard Hargreaves was sworn in as the new Mayor of Kensington and Chelsea in a virtual ceremony on Wednesday 20 May. One of his first decisions as the new Mayor was to appoint Glass Door as his charity of the year.

The Mayor’s support will help extend our casework service to support people who are struggling in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, and it will assist with running emergency shelters this winter in accordance with government guidelines.

The Mayor has already confirmed that he and his team will take part in Glass Door's Sleep Out on Friday 2 October to increase awareness about rough sleeping and raise funds towards Glass Door night shelters.

“A real honour”

Glass Door chief operating officer Lucy Abraham expresses her gratitude at receiving the Mayor’s support for the next 12 months:

“It is a real honour for us to be appointed as the Mayor’s charity of the year, especially during these challenging times.

The heart of our charity is in Kensington and Chelsea and we coordinate shelters in nine churches of different denominations in the borough. This past winter, Glass Door staff and volunteers welcomed 829 individuals who would otherwise be homeless and offered them a hot meal and a safe place to stay.

“There will be so much uncertainty over the next 12 months, and sadly we are already seeing people becoming newly homeless as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. It is vital that our caseworkers continue to advocate for people who simply don’t have anywhere else to turn. The Mayor’s support will help us to be there for those in our communities who need it most.”

The Mayor says:

I am delighted to announce that I have chosen Glass Door as my charity for the year. Glass Door is based in Chelsea and is committed to helping people get off the streets and stay off. By partnering with churches they provide shelter and support across Kensington and Chelsea and beyond. Glass Door works closely with the council on supporting homeless people and I look forward to working with them over the coming year.


To support someone experiencing homelessness right now:

Please support Glass Door's COVID-19 Emergency Appeal