To our supporters, partners, and every person who believes in a fairer Britain,

Homelessness is a scar on our nation. In the 21st century, with all our progress and prosperity, the fact that thousands of our fellow citizens sleep on streets, in doorways, and in makeshift shelters across our cities and countryside is a moral failure we must confront together.

I Have a Name was founded for one simple, urgent reason: to change this.

We are not a talking shop. We are a doing shop. Our mission is built on ten core principles that guide every action we take. They are born from the hard-won experience of two of our founders, who have lived through the darkness of homelessness themselves. They know that when you are homeless, thinking beyond the next day is a luxury. They also know that recovery is possible, and it is this knowledge that fuels our relentless drive.

Our approach is straightforward and built on dignity.

We operate with No Nonsense – we are focused on results, measured in lives rebuilt, not in column inches. We have No Inhibitions about asking the difficult questions to get to the root of each person’s situation, and No Barriers in who we are prepared to help. We offer No Judging and No Condescension; we meet people as equals, with empathy and humility.

We stand by those others have forgotten, with No Rejection of those barred from other services. We respect individual choice with No Compulsion, but we also act with No Fear, challenging government and institutions to do better.

Crucially, we offer No Religion – we believe a person’s worth is not conditional on their faith.

Our immediate goal is to provide the fundamentals: a roof, a meal, a CV, a pathway to work, and a referral to professional help for those battling addiction or illness. We work to reunite families and restore hope.

But we are also in this for the long game. Our ultimate goal, our tenth principle, is No Homelessness. We will not rest until we have helped implement the evidence-based, lasting solutions that foster belonging, self-value, and safety for all.

This is more than charity; it is a repayment of a favour, a debt of hope passed on. We see the person, not the problem. We see a name, not a statistic.

Thank you for your support. Together, we can end this crisis.

Dominic Wightman
Chairman, I Have a Name