St Mungo's at Arts by the Sea 2026

At this year’s Arts by the Sea Festival in Bournemouth, the St Mungo’s team presented a unique installation, designed to tell the real life stories of women experiencing homelessness in the area, and the people who are supporting them.

What's this about?

Around the festival, visitors found pairs of bright orange shoes. Many women experiencing homelessness are hidden from view, sofa surfing, living in unsafe situations, or avoiding public spaces due to fear of harm.

By raising awareness of hidden homelessness, we hope that people will reflect and recognise those who may be experiencing hardship around them. Through collective action, community and positive change, we can end homelessness in Bournemouth and nationwide.

"This installation is an opportunity to shine a light on experiences that are often overlooked. Every day our team meets people with remarkable strength and resilience who are navigating extremely difficult circumstances. Through this piece, we hope to encourage understanding, start meaningful conversations, and remind people that homelessness is a human issue that affects our whole community."

Lindsay Lyall, St Mungo's Bournemouth Service Manager

The stories

Click the buttons below to hear the stories that inspired the installation.

About our work

Homelessness in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole is becoming increasingly complex and visible. While rough sleeping remains a key concern, it is only one part of the picture. Many people are experiencing hidden homelessness, including sofa surfing, living in insecure accommodation, or facing ongoing housing instability.

We are seeing a growing number of people presenting with multiple and interconnected needs, including poor mental health, substance use, physical health conditions, trauma, domestic abuse histories, and social isolation. Rising housing costs and limited access to affordable accommodation continue to place significant pressure on individuals who are already vulnerable.

As an outreach service, we work daily with people who face barriers to accessing support and who may have become disengaged from traditional services.

Our outreach team works across a demanding and ever-changing environment.

We are supporting people with increasingly complex needs while navigating significant pressures within housing, health, and wider support systems. Finding suitable accommodation options can be difficult, and there are often limited resources available for people with high levels of need.

The team must balance crisis intervention with longer-term support, building trust and relationships with individuals who may have experienced repeated setbacks or trauma.

Despite these challenges, the team’s commitment, creativity, and persistence continue to help some of the most vulnerable people in our community achieve positive outcomes.

Key takeaways

Above all, we hope people left with a greater sense of empathy and understanding.

Homelessness can affect anyone, and every person experiencing it has their own story, strengths, and aspirations. We hope that visitors were able to look beyond labels and recognise the humanity, resilience, and potential of the people we support.

If the installation encouraged someone to challenge their assumptions, start a conversation, seek support, volunteer, or simply see homeless people differently, then it will have achieved its purpose.

Ultimately, we hope people walked away understanding that homelessness is not just about housing. It is about people, relationships, belonging, and the importance of community.