‘Calling London’, by David Cohen, the Standard’s Chief Features Writer and award-winning journalist, tells how a conversation with his editor sparked an investigation that became a campaign and then a fully-fledged charitable fund which has raised millions for the capital's disadvantaged.
The book, which contains a foreword by Evening Standard editor Geordie Greig, tells the stories of Londoners battling for survival under the toughest conditions.
It reveals the tragic extent to which nearly half of the capital’s children live beneath the poverty line.
It also reveals the unprecedented and passionate response of Evening Standard readers and how the newspaper set out to raise £1 million, and went on to raise over £7 million as it captured the imagination of Londoners, old and young, rich and poor.
‘Calling London’ will be officially launched on Wednesday 7 September 2011 at the Museum of London, during a reception hosted by Geordie Greig to mark an exhibition about The Dispossessed campaign.
Communities Minister Nick Hurd and London Mayor Boris Johnson will be among 500 guests including leading business figures and celebrities, and the people whose stories inspired the Dispossessed, the groups the Dispossessed now funds and the donors who generously gave to the Dispossessed Fund.
The Dispossessed exhibition at the Museum of London runs until 20 November 2011. The true face of modern poverty in the capital reveals itself in the moving stories of ordinary Londoners which are shown in a series of powerful words and pictures. The museum is situated at 150 London Wall and entry is free.
The Evening Standard officially launched The Dispossessed investigation in March 2010 with a series of heart-wrenching stories, including the scandal of mass paupers’ graves for babies from impoverished families.
The fund gives grants to community groups in the capital working to help lift people out of poverty.
So far, a total of £7.2m has been raised.
