Lee, 54, remembers nights so cold they hurt when he was sleeping rough. After years living in North America, including a year homeless in Canada, he returned to London for mental health support. Instead, he ended up on the streets.
On his first night in London, a St Mungo’s outreach worker found him and took him to A&E. In the middle of the night, a team member called: “I’m outside.” Lee says that was when things began to change.
Now a volunteer for St Mungo’s, Lee runs creative writing classes. On Tuesday, a mural commissioned by the charity went on display in Bethnal Green, bringing his story to life with graffiti-style words and motifs including musical notes, a shamrock, and a key. The focal point reads: “Lee was here.”
Three murals across three cities
The Bethnal Green mural is one of three installed in east London, Reading, and Bristol. Each spotlights former rough sleepers – Lee, Tamika, Ray, and Lawretta – in locations where St Mungo’s supported them out of homelessness. QR codes on each mural allow passersby to listen to the narrated stories of those featured.
Artist Luke Embden said: “I wanted to give these case studies a voice. A lot of people don’t know where to turn and this is a really beautiful way to get the message out there.”
Rising rough sleeping numbers
Rough sleeping in the UK has risen to 4,793, the highest on record. St Mungo’s says 77% of the people it helped off the streets last year were not seen to have returned to rough sleeping. The project aims to push back on stereotypes, focusing on personalities and journeys rather than hardships.
Emma Haddad, chief executive of St Mungo’s, said: “They’re asking people to stop and look and listen. Recovery is possible, hope is possible, and support plays a fundamental role in that.” She noted that summer heatwaves exacerbate the dangers of street homelessness.
Government commitment
Prime Minister Andy Burnham used his first address to promise to end rough sleeping, with an additional £340m pledged. The announcement came the day before St Mungo’s launched the murals. Haddad said: “He could have talked about anything, but he chose rough sleeping. He gets it, and he knows that it’s an absolute scandal.”
Lee said the problem was in good hands given Burnham’s record as mayor of Greater Manchester, where rough sleeping fell from 268 in 2017 to 90 in 2021, though it later rose to 197 in 2025. “Completely eliminating rough sleeping seems like a massive and impossible task but, as people, we should set ourselves these kinds of goals,” said Lee. “Impossible things are possible.”
The installations can be found on Bethnal Green Road, London (until 30 July), Stokes Croft, Bristol (until 27 July), and King Street, Reading (until 29 July).
