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Empowering people affected by homelessness through art, photography and entrepreneurship

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The 2014 calendar was supported by the Royal Photographic Society who helped with training at the handout on 31 July, 2013 at St Paul's Cathedral.

August in 2014 Cafe Art calendar. This zebra crossing, made famous by the Beatles' 1969 album Abbey Road, was photographed by John Spencer. Probably the most frustrating crossing in London from drivers, as there is a steady stream of tourists taking photographs of each other, John thought it would be a good place to take contest photos.

September in 2014 Cafe Art calendar. This is a shot by Kerry G of Aza and Gab at the Haggerston in Hackney. Kerry had been in London for 10 years 'with a couple of breaks in between.' From Greenock, Scotland, she says she has been 'technically homeless' since she was 16. 'I squatted for a long time, then the government came along and squashed all of my rights. And then is became more and more precarious to squat so I just ended up homeless.' She is currently living in a St Mungo's women's hostel in Hackney.

October in 2014 Cafe Art calendar. This shot was taken at the exact moment sunshine burst through the clouds above London. Maya Simeon said that she was just finishing off the film before the end of the contest and was struck by the sun on a staircase in the Skylight building on Commercial Street, Whitechapel.

November in 2014 Cafe Art calendar. This photo was taken on Warren Street by Paul Duffy who said he went there purposefuly to get a shot of the cart which he had seen 'with and without fruit' for years. He said he got up early and was there at seven in the morning, adding 'I didn't want anyone to be in it.' Paul is from Glasgow and used to care for his mother and father before they passed away about five years ago. He currentlu lives with about 40 other people who are homeless in a hostel run by Shelter from the Storm in Islington. He was referred to then by the Thames Reach day centre in Camden Town where he goes during the day. His next step will hopefully be helped by an organisation called Second Step who will find him a permanent place to live.

December in 2014 Cafe Art calendar. Michael Crosswaite says it's easy to get to his friend Rob's canal boat as you just head east 'just past the Olympics' along the canal. 'He's put a bicycle on the back of it and he's put a boat propeller on is. Probably the only pedal-powered boat on the canal - I've never seen another one.' He says they used to squat together.

July in 2014Cafe Art calendar. Brian Leach took this shot on the South Bank at the Festival of Neighbourhood. Brian, who goes to the festival every year, thought it would be a 'good place to go' with the contest camera. Born in Cardiff, Brian has lived in London for 25 years. He's been going to the Holy Cross day centre near Kings Cross 'on and off for 15 years'. He says there's always a lot of activity and a lot of people to make friends and talk with. He first started sleeping rough in the early 90s soon after he arrived in London. With no contact with his family for over 20 years he considers the people at Holy Cross as his family. He is a member of the art group.

June in 2014 Cafe Art calendar. Simon Denis says this shot of a row of deck chairs in Shoreditch was taken on a hot summer's day: 'It was just one of those Sundays, everyone was just very relaxed.' He says he has been taking photos for four years now and says he used to have a digital camera but now just uses his phone. A former model in the 1980s, he had been a civil servant for many years before he first became homeless when he couldn't find a job. When he did find a job it was only a contract position with no security. After finding and 'building up a flat', he lost it just a year later, becoming homeless again. At this point he took up creative writing and digital media at The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Feilds church.

May in 2014 Cafe Art calendar. Krzysztof Wlodarczy could not ignore the message. 'There's the rubbish, and above it is the commentray.' The shot was taken on Bowes Road on the North Circular between Haringey and Enfield, North London. 'Every day it's the same, mayby only Monday and Tuesday every week is it clear,' says Krzysztof, who goes to St Mungo's Broadway's art group in Shepherd's Bush. 'I am showing the other London, not shown in the guidebooks, albums or postcards.'

March in 2014 Cafe Art calendar. Maya Simeon took this shot after seeing the building with old tube carriages 'on its top' many times while travelling on the overground train between Shoreditch and Highbury. Having always intended on searching for it, she decided this photography project was the perfect opportunity to finally do it. After locating the site, Maya also discovered the mural and was struck by the slogan 'Let's Adore and Endure each other'. She finds it an inspiring message, especially for Londoners, seeing as it's such a diverse city, which can be a 'challenging place to live at times.' Maya is a member of the Skylight art group in Whitechapel.

April in 2014 Cafe Art calendar. Robert Keen says that when he asked his friend sitting in an East London park if he could take a photo of his dog Paddy his friend said 'Crack on!'. Originally from Brixton, he says he was brought up 'in care' as his parents were alcoholics. Robert was street homeless for 20 years, but he has now been living in a bedsit in the Providence Row hostel in Whitchapel for three years. Before gaining housing he had been attacked while sleeping rough and ended up in a hospital for two weeks. 'I was woken up by getting a beating from three guys in suits. It was about 2 o'clock in the morning. They done me in and hurt me. Smashed my head open. Broke a couple of ribs. They went to town on me for no reason because they were drunk.' After the attack Robert went into rehab to get off the drugs and today he is clean. 'I feel better - I feel good, healthy.' Robert does a lot of art and has exhibited with Providence Row. 'I like art because I find it relaxing. It's a bit like therapy, isn't it?'

February in 2014 Cafe Art calendar. ROL took this shot of a busker called Ivan in Covent Garden. 'I waited about half an hour to get that shot. He does a couple of songs then he gets back on his feet, takes a deep breath and then back again. Whenever he got back on his feet he was red like a tomato!'ROL is member of Seymour Arts run by West London Mission and Soho-based homeless photography project, Disposable and art collective ARTfitzrovia. Born in Croydon from Trinidadian parents, ROL worked as a chef for many years. He was first homeless for about three months five years ago and is now also sleeping rough. Describing the first time he was homeless, he says, 'I didn't want to tell my friends. I just kept things to myself and slept on park benches.' After finding temporary contract work for a year he managed to find a place to live again, but lost it after he wasn't paid on time by a few people. In recent years he has found temporary accommodation though housing groups Occupy London and People Before Profit. ROL is proficient at fixing bikes and he is considering doing a course to become a bike mechanic.

January in 2014 Cafe Art calendar. 'It's just my friends Joe and Warda on the bus'. Photographer Afii, 19 says she likes taking photos and giving them to her friends. She was homeless for five months before moving into the St Mungo's women's hostel in Hackney. Before she was accepted into the hostel she was living in friends' sofas and anywhere she could sleep safely, including park benches, hospitals and on buses. She explains that she was exhausted when she arrived at St Mungo's. Now that she is feeling rested she is focusing on her future, including doing an early years childcare apprenticeship course.

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