22/10/2026
“When I received my invite to Downing Street, I screamed!”
As part of Black History Month, we’re honouring our Black communities helping to end homelessness.
Meet Christine, a Skylight Director at Crisis whose work supporting people experiencing homelessness recently earned recognition by the Prime Minister.
“Since joining Crisis in 2020, I’ve been focussed on making sure our services meet the needs of people experiencing homelessness so that one day, they have a place to call home.
“Sadly, there is great demand for our services and we are seeing more and more people come to us, often with very complex needs.
“The services that are supposed to be there to help people experiencing homelessness are often underfunded and overstretched, and our members often tell us they cannot get access to services and receive the support they need.
“My job also involves building partnerships with other organisations across housing, health, local authorities and with the voluntary, charity, faith-based sector, so we can work together to find solutions for every individual.
“What’s really rewarding is leading a team of Crisis Skylight staff and volunteers that care about every person that walks through our door. We love to celebrate the milestones on each person’s journey out of homelessness and hear from members after they’ve settled into their new homes.
“Recently, I was invited to a reception at 10 Downing Street on behalf of the Prime Minister, to thank Crisis Skylight Croydon for the work my team and I did to support people affected by the extreme heatwave this summer.
“I screamed when I received the invite! It was a special moment of recognition at the highest level, not just for me but for the whole team.
"Recognition like this matters because it helps shine a light on the contribution people from diverse communities make every day.
“Black History Month is still important because it allows us a moment to celebrate the contributions of Black people throughout history and in the present day. By sharing the stories of changemakers and trailblazers, as well as those of us who make a difference behind the scenes, we can challenge negative stereotypes in our divided world.”
