Mel C goes on Sleep Walk to help the homeless

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Mel C took part in the inaugural Sleep Walk for Shelter on Wednesday night (05.12.18) to raise money to support the hundreds of thousands of families at risk of homelessness this Christmas.

The Spice Girls star joined the 10-kilometre walk in the night time

which started from the UK's leading housing and homelessness charity to raise funds and awareness to help the 131,000 children who will be waking up on Christmas morning without a permanent home - the highest number in over a decade.

Mel, 44, wanted to get involved in the project because she thinks it is terrible that so many people are facing the festive period on the streets.

The 'Wannabe' hitmaker said: "Shelter's new figures on homelessness are shocking, so it's more important than ever that we support those who are at risk of losing their homes.

"It's amazing to see so many people come together today for Shelter's first Sleep Walk, and with our help, Shelter can change tomorrow and ensure everyone has somewhere to call home this Christmas."

Shelter is the UK's leading housing and homelessness charity that supports millions of people every year who are struggling with bad housing or homelessness.

New analysis from Shelter has found a 59 per cent increase in the number of homeless children over the last five years and the charity warns the impact of the housing crisis will be felt across a generation as one in every 103 children in Britain is now homeless.

The Sleep Walk for Shelter united over 1,000 Londoners to brave the winter conditions and walk across the capital at night - starting at Liverpool Street and finishing in Waterloo - to take a stand against homelessness and raise much needed funds to fight the crisis.

Greg Beales, director at Shelter, said: "We need support more than ever to provide helpline advice and services that enable people to keep their homes over Christmas.

"Sleep Walk is about uniting the capital while raising vital funds to help us to change tomorrow and ensure every child has somewhere they can call home."

The inaugural Sleep Walk for Shelter is being trialled in London this year with a view to similar events taking place in major cities across the UK in 2019.