Prince William and Big Issue founder vow to end 'failed thinking on homelessness' in new video

30 October 2024, 12:06

Prince William has released a new video ahead of the release of a documentary recording his push to end homelessness in the UK.

The Prince of Wales can be seen working with the founder of the Big Issue magazine, Lord John Bird, on his Homewards initiative.

The prince was followed during the first year of his campaign by a documentary camera crew.

During the video, William urged Lord Bird and the other people he's working with to speak up if they have an idea.

"I'm conscious that it's a team environment," he said. "It's a team game, so please do feel free to pile in when you need to."

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Lord Bird asked him: "I hope you mean that", before adding: "Sorry, I'm jumping in."

The longstanding homelessness campaigner said: "I mean we need the expertise of everybody.

"We've had local authorities working here, we've had charities working there. We've had government departments working there.

William recalls first visit to homelessness charity with his mother 30 years ago

"We need now, to put all of this failed thinking that has gone into homelessness over the last 30 years behind us.

"We've all got to come together, so when William says he wants to converge it, that's what I want."

The campaign is a major long-term focus for William, who has told how visiting shelters with his late mother Princess Diana when he was a child left a deep and lasting impression and inspired his work.

Republic, the anti-monarchy group, criticised William's campaign, saying his "position, status and unearned wealth and the role of the monarchy... [entrenches] the very inequalities that are at the root of the poverty and homelessness."

Is Prince William the right person to lead the conversation on homelessness?

The prince's campaign aims to develop a blueprint for eradicating homelessness in all its forms, "making it rare, brief and unrepeated".

During the past year, the Homewards teams in six UK locations - Newport, Lambeth, Belfast, Aberdeen, Sheffield and three neighbouring Dorset towns, Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch - have been building collaborations between the public, private and third sectors.

The documentary will be broadcast on October 30 and 31 at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX, STV and STV Player.