Tonight, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, was joined by singer-songwriter Jamie Cullum, and the Battersea Power Station Community Choir, for a one-off pop-up festive performance in front of London’s iconic Trafalgar Square Christmas tree to raise awareness of the Mayor’s Winter Rough Sleeping Fundraising Campaign.
The critically-acclaimed singer-songwriter performed a mixture of tracks from his latest album ‘The Pianoman at Christmas – The Complete Edition’ which is out now, and Christmas classics on his own piano joined by the Battersea Power Station Community Choir to sing classics including ‘Winter Wonderland’, bringing an abundance of festive cheer to the capital in the run up to Christmas.
The event supported the Mayor’s Winter Rough Sleeping Fundraising Campaign, raising funds for four London charities working to end youth homelessness – Depaul UK, New Horizon Youth Centre, Albert Kennedy Trust and Centrepoint. The Mayor was also joined by five young people from London’s Violence Reduction Unit’s Young Person’s Action Group, who have been collecting donations of sleeping bags, sanitary products and non-perishable foods in schools, local shopping centres and their communities, to give to homeless charities.
The Mayor is committed to tackling rough sleeping in London and knows that young people have been particularly hard hit during the pandemic. The number of young people sleeping rough increased 48 per cent in the months immediately following the first lockdown and the number of young homeless people who identify as LGBTQ+ remains disproportionately high.
The concert forms part of the Mayor’s Let’s Do London winter campaign which encourages people across the capital and nationwide to experience the very best of London at Christmas – including family favourites, Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, the magical winter markets, world-famous ice rinks as well as captivating cultural activities such as Borealis art installation from 11th December at the City of London Corporation’s Guildhall Yard.
Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, said: “There really is nowhere quite like London at Christmastime. That is why I was proud to help spread some festive cheer with this special performance by piano maestro Jamie Cullum and The Battersea Power Station Community Choir to help raise funds for homeless young Londoners.
“While we celebrate it is vital we remember the hundreds of Londoners facing the prospect of spending the festive period out on the streets. That’s why I’m inviting all Londoners to once again demonstrate their generosity and compassion this winter by supporting our campaign to tackle youth homelessness.”
Jamie Cullum, said: “I’m honoured to support the Mayor of London’s Winter Rough Sleeping Fundraising Campaign and these amazing charities in their drive to tackle youth homelessness. I love London at Christmas and performing some festive favourites alongside a few new songs in Trafalgar Square has been magical”
Seyi Obakin, Chief Executive at Centrepoint, said: “With over 4,000 young Londoners facing homelessness this Christmas this concert could not have come at a more vital time. We are so grateful to the Mayor and Jamie for putting on this fantastic event which will help Centrepoint provide even more homeless young people in the capital with the stability, accommodation and support they need to turn their lives around and escape homelessness for good.”
