Homeless people’s heartbreaking real life stories turned into art

Leading UK homelessness charity St Mungo’s has unveiled ‘I Was Here’, a free nationwide public art installation that reimagines traditional graffiti-style name tags as striking visuals of resilience and hope.

Developed alongside celebrated street artist Luke Embden, the specially commissioned works draw inspiration from the real-life experiences of people who have faced homelessness.

The installations are situated across London, Bristol, and Reading — the very cities where St Mungo’s frontline teams helped these individuals escape homelessness.

Each night, the charity’s dedicated teams provide support to thousands of people at the sharpest end of the homelessness crisis.

Every artwork underscores how, given time and personalised support, recovery is achievable. St Mungo’s track record speaks for itself — last year, 77% of those the charity helped off the streets were not seen to have returned to rough sleeping.

Each piece captures the individual journey of its subject, turning a simple assertion of existence through a familiar street signature into a bold declaration of humanity and survival.

By scanning a QR code embedded within each mural, passers-by can hear the narrated accounts of those who previously experienced homelessness in these cities.

Drawing inspiration from the real-life accounts of four remarkable individuals — Lee, Lawretta, Tamika and Ray — all of whom have overcome the isolating and potentially fatal ordeal of sleeping rough on the streets of London, Bristol and Reading, Luke crafted his designs. Using their compelling stories as a foundation, he produced a unique mural to capture the essence of each person’s journey.

Last autumn, an estimated 4,793 people were found to be sleeping rough across England in a single night, representing a staggering 171% increase since records began in 2010. The assistance offered by charities such as St Mungo’s can prove pivotal in breaking the cycle of rough sleeping, providing individuals with the stability and tailored support necessary to recover and rebuild their lives.

For Lee, whose mural is displayed in London, his turning point came when a dedicated St Mungo’s frontline worker found him on his first night sleeping rough in the capital — having previously slept on the streets abroad — and brought him to the safety of St Mungo’s emergency accommodation.

Reflecting on his experience, Lee said: “When I first became homeless, I felt invisible and completely disconnected. I wanted to share my story to help break down the misconceptions around homelessness and show that it can happen to anyone.

Today, I feel incredibly lucky. Just three months ago, I was on the streets; now I have a place to call home and can finally look to the future. Throughout it all, St Mungo’s has been my safety net, and I want people to know that support is out there.”

Elle Slater, Service Development Manager at St Mungo’s, said: “Rough sleeping is a lonely, dangerous reality for the people we support, but this campaign proves people can move on from homelessness. We are grateful to Luke for spotlighting the resilience of Lee, Lawretta, Tamika, and Ray. Hearing stories like theirs is how we change public perception about the people at the heart of our work.

Our frontline teams work around the clock, come rain or shine, to ensure that people facing homelessness can receive tailored support and access to the opportunities they need to rebuild their lives. This installation is an opportunity to listen and understand those on the frontline of the homelessness emergency.

By sharing their personal interests and passions through art, they remind us that every person has a unique story beyond their circumstances.

Street artist Luke Embden said: “Street art has always been about leaving a mark and letting people know that somebody was here. This project takes that idea and uses it to tell the stories of people who are too often overlooked, giving each person a voice and visibility on the street, which for a lot of people they may never have had before. Each mural is rooted in a real person’s experience, and I hope it encourages people to stop, listen, and see the individual behind the label of homelessness, and challenge the stigma our society attaches to it.”

Last year, St Mungo’s supported more than 28,000 people, with roughly 2,000 individuals receiving assistance on any given night across 138 specialist services covering accommodation, mental and physical healthcare, substance use support, learning, training and employment services, as well as dedicated support for women.

‘I Was Here’ represents an expansion of the charity’s earlier ‘We’re Here’ campaign in 2025, which drew inspiration from individuals with lived experience of homelessness alongside St Mungo’s frontline colleagues working across London and the South East of England.

Members of the public are urged to visit the artworks, hear the real-life stories behind them and support St Mungo’s vital work through donations.