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Homelessness charity Shelter was forced to change the venue for the launch of their campaign calling for an end to Britain’s housing crisis at the last minute following opposition by organisers of the Ideal Home Show to their posters, writes Clare Jerrom.

One of Shelter's posters

The charity took over the advertising space at Earl’s Court tube station in London with a series of posters depicting the impact that bad housing has on the lives of more than one million children in Britain.

The launch was designed to coincide with the launch of the autumn Ideal Home Show and it was planned that contestants from Big Brother would hand out copies of a spoof magazine ‘Room for Improvement’ covering the impact of the housing crisis.

Adam Sampson, director of the charity, said that while thousands of visitors were expected to attend the event, yet only a fraction were aware of the effect of bad housing has on children.

“Growing up in overcrowded, unfit or emergency housing has a devastating impact on their health, education and future prospects,” said Sampson.

But after displaying the posters for the launch of the campaign, Shelter was asked by dmg world media, which organised the exhibition, to remove the posters.

The tube station manager then withdrew previously agreed permission to hold a photocall at the station and dmg media slammed the posters as “an attack” on the Ideal Home Show.

“Shelter has not attacked either the organisers or visitors to the Ideal Home Show – of course we think people should enjoy making a comfortable home for themselves,” Sampson said.

“We want to focus the spotlight on the contrast between this ands the suffering of over one million children in Britain due to bad housing,” he said and concluded. “It is crucial that we bring this to the public’s attention if we are ever going to create change.”

The launch and photocall went ahead on the street outside the tube station and at 4pm, Shelter were allowed back into the tube station.

http://england.shelter.org.uk/home/index.cfm