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The London Mobile Christmas Service (LMCS)
Working to give London's homeless a better Christmas
Michael Stratton the co-ordinator and founder of the charity has been working with the homeless since 1977. He
was then a volunteer with the charity Crisis (at Christmas) at their Open Christmas Shelters. In the late
nineteen eighties, changes to the Social Security benefit rules changed the pattern of street homelessness,
resulting in more young people on the streets. The boisterous young tended to dominate the Christmas shelters
whilst the older more vulnerable preferred to stay on their pitches although many facilities such as day centres
tend to close at Christmas. Following a feasibility study, it was decided that if they were not coming to us, we
would go to them. So this is why the London Mobile Christmas Service (LMCS) was founded in 1992.
In 1999 the London Mobile Christmas Service was registered as an independent charity as it was felt that the
specialised service could be better delivered by a smaller dedicated team. For over 10 years LMCS have been
operating a mobile food, medical and clothing service for London's homeless and vulnerable over the Christmas
holiday week. This is a particularly difficult time for them as many facilities provided throughout the rest of
the year are closed over this period. Lawrence M Barry & Co has been working with Michael since his days at
Crisis and now actively supports the LMCS. Lawrence M Barry & Co provides LMCS with temporary offices and yard
space plus lorries during December - "without this generosity we could not operate," Michael states on the LMCS
website.
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