ESIMedia Titles Campaign Raises £700,000 for Homeless War Veterans

A multimedia Christmas campaign to raise cash for homeless war veterans by ESIMedia titles has raised £700,000.

The Homeless Veterans charity appeal by the Evening Standard, The Independent, The Independent on Sunday, i, and London Live has received the backing of celebrities and politicians including Prince William, Prime Minister David Cameron, Angelina Jolie Pitt, James Blunt and David Beckham.

Evgeny Lebedev, Evening Standard and Independent titles owner, said: “Since this appeal was launched at the end of November, we have raised a phenomenal £700,000. This smashes any total that we have ever raised before here at the Evening Standard, Independent, i and Independent on Sunday over the course of a Christmas campaign.”

Working with charities ABF The Soldiers’ Charity and Veterans Aid, the appeal aimed to raise cash for the homeless veterans of Britain – the courageous men and women who serve our country overseas but, on returning to civilian life, fall on hard times.

The campaign highlighted the plights of veterans including an ex-servicemen who descended into drug abuse on leaving the military, a former Scots Guard who found himself with no job and nowhere to live, and an RAF man who was reduced to living in a tent.

David Beckham said: “The Homeless Veterans appeal has shown us that sometimes veterans need our help, whether they are out on the streets, living in a hostel or need help keeping warm in their own homes in winter.”