Homeless charity's billboard plea for support

The charity said it still needed support during the summer holiday season

A homelessness charity that sees a drop in donations during the summer has said the people it helps still need support at this time of year.

Sifa Fireside said donations during the summer were vital for running its homeless intervention service, which provides food, clothing, showers, health clinics and housing advice.

The charity's campaign, called Homelessness Doesn't Take a Holiday, is on billboards across Birmingham, after the company Ocean Outdoor donated media space.

Robb Sheppard, from Sifa Fireside, said he hoped the campaign would "stop people in their tracks, encourage them to take a second look, and make a donation".

He said the support would make "a big difference to the day-to-day lives of our city's most vulnerable people".

Creative agency One Black Bear created the adverts by mimicking travel agent posters.

On first sight, they promise bargain getaways, but a closer look reveals a patch of pavement and a view of the street from the ground.

The campaign mimics travel agent adverts

The agency said it showed "the reality of people experiencing homelessness".

Jon Harrison, creative director at One Black Bear, urged people to give support.

He said the campaign helped to draw attention to conditions experienced by those facing homelessness throughout Birmingham and beyond, "while the rest of us enjoy our trips abroad".

The advertising drive is called Homelessness Doesn't Take a Holiday