Homelessness charity The Passage has teamed up with the Victoria Business Improvement District to launch an initiative to reduce street begging around London Victoria.
 
The Diverted Giving scheme aims to persuade members of the public to donate money to tackle the problem via boxes marked with the charity’s distinctive logo, rather than giving directly to beggars.
 
Some 50 counter-top boxes and four floor-standing boxes have been placed in and around Victoria.
 
Production and installation costs are paid for by Victoria BID and the income generated will help pay for schemes co-ordinated by The Passage, which are each designed to help "provide resources which encourage, inspire, and challenge homeless people to transform their lives".
 
Housing minister Grant Shapps, who attended the launch of Diverted Giving last week, commented: “Local businesses have an issue with aggressive street begging. We wanted to come up with a solution that would address the issue of begging in the long-term.”

Mike Clarke, chief executive of The Passage, added: “People know that the money they give will be used well and that can only be a good thing. The project sees about 200 people a day and to know that the money is going straight to the frontline is great.”

 

Clarke also expressed interest in making the project longer- term if it is successful this year.