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‘The dog is called Margaret and she lives in Islington’ says Alex Davies, who goes to the Ten Feet Away art group at Margins in the Union Chapel, Islington. ‘I normally take photographs really easily all day,’ she says, adding that the photo contest with a film camera felt ‘kind of different... Using a small view finder after using phone cameras. I went to the park and Janet was there with her dog Margaret who’s an Airedale.’ Alex says she has many local friends who’ve got dogs and has been painting dogs now for the last year at Margins for her Pet Icons project. Talking about the photo, Margaret is resting on the paving after running about with the other dogs, I like the bench in the background and the tree outlines : ‘That IS my London.

September in 2015 MY LONDON calendar. ‘I met Pip on Liverpool Road’ says Alex Davies. ‘He said he’s been wearing cream for all of the summer and he certainly looked like he’s had those clothes on for quite a long time.’ Alex says Pip closed his eyes intentionally just as the shutter clicked. ‘I wanted him to keep his eyes open, because they were so blue.’ Alex has been going to the Ten Feet Away art group at Margins in Union Chapel since April 2013. She says it’s been a regular place to go and develop her ‘creative practice’ through photography and painting, adding that painting Pip would be an interesting challenge. ‘In the art group people are kind and encouraging’, says Alex. ‘They are a talented group of people.’ She also likes to photograph dogs in her local park and then paint them at Margins.

June in 2015 MY LONDON calendar. Photographer Aaron Little says ‘I wanted something that looks like the one from those early French photographers. I pictured this in black and whote so I’m really pleased. I wanted to have shots that are what I see when I’m walking around London. I’m pleased that it actually shows some depth and the bridge structure.’ Originally from Berkshire, Aaron has never envisioned living in London but finds that it has really helped him creatively, giving him access to a lot of visual stimuli. Aaron has been coming to Crisis for several years. ‘It’s been rewarding and helped me cope with various financial issues. Art for me is a wonderful outlet to express myself and to get what I want to say out on the canvas or in the photograph.’

Cover of 2015 MY LONDON calendar. David Tovey ways there’s so many different elements to this picture: ‘It’s got me in it, it’s got St Paul’s, it’s got the red bus, a new Routemaster as well, it’s got people chillin’ and then you’ve got the actual “real life” – what’s going on. And the sky looks amazing!... What I like about the whole ball thing: I don’t know if it’s true but I believe the whole reason it was put there was to reflect the 24-hour cycle. For me that’s life passing you by isn’t it? It’s going to show 24 hours of people in the reflection. It’s just life isn’t it? Just passing you by in the reflection! Or a flicker.’

April in 2015 MY LONDON calendar. David Tovey found the umbrellas hanging above an Italian restaurant in Borough Market. ‘It was really sunny and a haze was coming through. Everyone was looking up at them so it was a focal point.’ ‘I like to show the urban with the nature side of things’, says David, who did a foundation art course at London Metropolitan University in 2013. ‘You may see a derelict building but you will notice life forms and plants growing from it. We’re living in a concrete city but there’s a lot of greenery out there.’ In the army for many years, followed by a job as a chef, David ended up homeless because of health issues in 2011 and lost his job and home. He has been supported by Crisis and West London Mission and recently was helped into housing by St Mungo’s Broadway.

July in 2015 MY LONDON calendar. Beatrice was waiting for the train at Oakwood Station and it was late evening. ‘The photo contest was on my mind and I just turned round and I saw the shadows on the wall and I thought “Oh... yeah!”’ Beatrice says that the SHP art group has really awakened her artistic interest which had been buried for many years. She came from an arts background, and studied fashion and textiles at university. ‘I suffered from depression for many years and was referred to SHP. I started coming to the SHP art group in September 2013. The first day I walked through the door I just thought “Wow, this is great!”’ ‘Re-engaging with art has given me focus once again and has inspired me to help others at the art groups I am now volunteering at. I thought I had lost art forever but it caught up with me again. I am grateful for that.’

ROL was photographed by Giulia Gorlier on the doorstep to a house near King’s Cross: ROL says ‘They are part of the crew who is campaigning for homes, more social housing in London. I was just going to visit them and say hi to them. No one was at home. I hope they are all right, but I haven’t seen them for a while.’

December in 2015 MY LONDON calendar. This is Lou Danby’s dog Scooter in his Aresnal scarf on the Regent’s Canal towpath, Victoria Park, where she usually takes him for a walk. Lou says he is a five-year-old Staffordshire Bull Terrier and ‘he loves Arsenal and Christmas’. Lou goes to the Crisis art group on Saturdays. ‘I do drawing and I might do some more photography.’ She is a keen Gunners fan and was given the scarf by a friend. Scooter is her closest companion and most of the photos on the contest camera were of Scooter. ‘I didn’t plan it that way but later in the day when I wanted to take a photo of something else there were no shots left!’

October in 2015 MY LONDON calendar. This is photographer Lou Danby’s friend Max giving a freindly wave to her from his Walthamstow allotment. She says that he is a good friend and was the first person she met who helped her find a secure place to stay when she was homeless 10 years ago. Lou recently joined the Saturday art group at the Crisis Skylight building. Since 2012 she’s participated in drama therapy and says that this gave her confidence to believe in herself. She says that Crisis helped her keep her home after she almost lost it because of recent benefit changes. Lou lived all over England until arriving in London and lives in Bethnal Green with her dog and cat. ‘I’m feeling a lot happier since I started coming to Crisis – a lot less isolated and I’ve met some very creative people.’

August in 2015 MY LONDON calendar. ‘It was one of the last shots on the camera’, says ROL, who is a member of ARTFitzrovia and 240 Project. ‘This is on the bike path on the South Bank, along the Thames. I looked back and there was this amazing view.’ Born in Croydon from Trinidadian parents, ROL worked as a chef for many years. He was first homeless about six years ago and is currently sofa-surfing and house-sitting. ‘The rents are getting very expensive in London. Some people are struggling. They work 40 hours a week and they are struggling to pay their rent. This is a sad phenomenon in London where something has to be done to control rent prices.’ ROL supports housing rights organisations including Occupy London and People Before Profit: ‘I support campaigns which think Londoners should not be paying exorbitant rent.’

May in 2015 MY LONDON calendar. Hasan Kahya asked Abdul to hold this sign in front of a Banksy mural near Turnpike Lane. It’s based on a Freudian idea: ‘If you try to suppress feelings of hurt and anger with intoxicants, it’s not socially useful. Whereas if you channel your anger and energy into art you will be elevated and it’s also socially useful.’ Originally from Cyprus, Hasan goes to The Connection and ARTfitzrovia. He says that Abdul, who is from Turkey, had a ‘habit’ but he’s reformed now, in part thanks to art. ‘Being older, with more experience, I try to give him some practical advice. I introduced him to ARTfitzrovia.’ For years Abdul had a fish shop in Dalston Market and is now keen to open a fish restaurant. ‘People know me in the market for selling fresh fish so I would have customers because they know and trust me.’

David Stark explains how he was looking through this sculpture at St Paul’s: ‘I thought it looked slightly abstract. Fortunately at the same time this guy was walking though with an umbrella.’ David says he has taken photos before for other projects. ‘I did a project with the Museum of London with these cameras.’ David, who is a cleaner, comes from London: ‘I’m East End born and bred,’ and has an older brother and sister. He has been going to Crisis’s Skylight centre for 10 years.

‘Betty, Sue, Fred and Jim… these guys really caught my attention. I walked on by, then five minutes later I found myself walking past them again,’ says Beatrice. ‘The owners of the shop were closing up and I was too embarrassed to take a photo. Again I walked away only to find myself back in exactly the same spot. By this time, in my mind, the mannequins had become animated and were saying: “Oi you! Stop mucking about and take our bleeding photo, you doughnut!” So I did as I was told and that is how this picture came about.’ The photo was taken in Brixton. Talking about the SHP art class, Beatrice says that re-engaging with art has just given her great freedom: ‘A great feeling of freedom and sense of purpose that was long forgotten.

Agnes had been to the Victoria and Albert Museum. ‘As I was coming up to the Natural History Museum I turned around to look at the London telephone box because it’s iconic. I was trying to place it with the V & A when this lady and little boy came into the picture. I thought it looked interesting because it gives human interest in front of the telephone box. So it was an accident and it happened very quickly.’

February in 2015 MY LONDON calendar. Steve and Tony sit on this Islington Green bench often, says Amadeus Xavier Quadeer. ‘I gave them an incentive: “If I win a prize, you get 20% - and they were up for it! So the words on the bus are quite appropriate!’ Amadeus, who originates from the Midlands but has lived in London since the ‘60s, says art is therapeutic, adding it calms him and allows him to interact socially with all types of people. His UK clothing business was affected by production moving offshore. ‘I was a home-owner but my house got repossessed. When I was homeless SHP helped to re-house me in 2010.’ He says he made that emotional investment during his divorce which his dad warned him against: ‘Never argue, always go for the draw. I didn’t take his advice and I lived to regret it but I’ve learned since that you should look forward and not back.’ He’s got a son in Lewisham who he sees regularly.

‘The Laundrette looked so empty. All the doors were open. I thought ‘That actually looks quite artistic’. I always look as things in a perspective way. If I see something that catches my eye I usually take a picture.’ Daniel Bruce, who recently finished a BTech Level 2 in Art. Twickenham College, was a head chef in a restaurant but lost his job, apartment and girlfreind in 2009 and ended up sofa surfing and sleeping rough. He says St Mungo’s Broadway has helped him. CASS, for people who have problems with alcohol and drug use, has helped him too. ‘I went to coffee mornings and alcohol meetings and listened to other people’s stories. It basically opened my eyes. I realised that I needed to sort myself out instead of abusing myself. I went through a hard time. I was using the alcohol because of my depression and just kept carrying on drinking.’ Daniel is now on a new path. ‘I’m going to the gym, I study art, I’m selling some of my paintings, doing a couple of exhibitions, so I’m really pushing forward so it’s really good.’

November in 2015 MY LONDON calendar. This picture is by Jo and was taken under the Hungerford and Golden Jubilee Bridges on the South Bank looking towards Westminster. Jo says she took the shot because she enjoys going to the South Bank. ‘When I’m happy I spend time there, when I’m sad I spend time there! It’s really nice to be by the river and I love the beautiful scenery.’ Jo enjoys going to the Crisis art group. ‘I say to people I’m not an artist but I appreciate good art! I come here and the teachers are good. I like the people.’ She also does yoga and computing classes in the Skylight building on Commercial Street. ‘I first came here when this Crisis building first opened. I was in a hostel at the time because of domestic violence in a relationship,’ she says, adding that her housing situation and health have improved because of the support given to her by Crisis.

January in 2015 MY LONDON calendar. Arantxa Vinardell took this shot of her friend Erica in front of a mural on a street where Erica lives in Northfields, West London. Arantxa says Erica was very supportive of her when she was homeless and jobless. She has been coming to Crisis since 2013 and has found it to be a big help and a source of hope. Coming from an artistic background, she attends puppet-making classes and is currently creating a video with her creations, which is about the ‘awakening of the human conscience’. From Andalucia, Spain, she was a waitress and studied fine art in Seville and Barcelona. She says she has been able to meet many people in London who are caring and supportive, but who do not expect anything in return. In the future she would like to help other people with art therapy.

March in 2015 MY LONDON calendar. ‘It was dangerous and high,’ explains Zsolt Kristian Nagy (‘Chris’) who had to climb over a fence to get this shot. Taken near where he was sleeping rough by Embankment, the red ‘shadow’ on the water and his shoes was actually the sprockets in the film as light had leaked into the camera. Chris says he likes the area as it has trees and ‘secret pictures’ only visible from the river. When he first came to London from Hungary in 2012 Chris had a flat but he ‘lost it’. ‘I couldn’t afford it. I was trying to do my best to do everything. I was working in restaurants.’ Now Chris has temporary “zero hours” jobs and says he is still sleeping rough or with friends when he can. ‘I’m surviving in London. I’m discovering London.’ Chris likes art, dance, IT and graphic design and goes to the art group run by Providence Row.

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