About us

Michael Stratton the co-ordinator and founder of the charity has been working with the homeless since 1977. He was then a volunteer with the charity Crisis (at Christmas) at their Open Christmas Shelters. In the late nineteen eighties, changes to the Social Security benefit rules changed the pattern of street homelessness, resulting in more young people on the streets. The boisterous young tended to dominate the Christmas shelters whilst the older more vulnerable preferred to stay out, although many facilities such as day centres tend to close at Christmas. Following a feasibility study, it was decided that if they were not coming to us, we would go to them. So this is why the London Mobile Christmas Service was founded in 1992. In 1999 the London Mobile Christmas Service was registered as an independent charity as it was felt that the specialised service could be better delivered by a smaller dedicated team.

We run for six days over Christmas and during this time we provide hot meals and drinks and hairdressing.

We help not only the street homeless but also those who are vulnerable and live in poor quality housing with little or no facilities. As well as giving material comfort we also provide companionship at Christmas to our homeless friends.

Clothing, footwear, and toiletries are p[rovided throughout the year to the homeless centres we work with at Christmas.

Another initiative started in 2012 by LMCS is buying and supplying "starter kits" to homeless people who have been rehoused. These are packs of essential household goods including bedding, cooking and kitchen utensils, cutlery and crockery, toasters and kettles and cleaning materials.

It costs over £10,000 each year to run this charity. Administrative costs are kept to a minimum by having no paid workers. We rely entirely on cash donations and donations of material goods.