Shelter’s Christmas campaign features a heartbreaking story about an 8-year-old girl who is as ‘good as gold’ hoping her family can get a good home

The heartbreaking story of a little girl desperately searching for Santa to find a forever home for her family is at the heart of this year’s Shelter Christmas campaign.

The housing and homelessness charity has released a short film entitled ‘Good As Gold’, which follows Maddy, played by eight-year-old Tilly Walker.

It opens as a typical feel-good Christmas movie in the style of heartfelt TV advertising campaigns before delivering an emotional ending.

In the clip, we see Maddy being as ‘good as gold’ hoping to be rewarded with what she wants most for Christmas: a real house.

The tearjerker opens with Maddy overhearing a postal worker telling another child to “be as good as gold, and you’ll get exactly what you want” as she posted her letter to Santa.

This motivated Maddy to be as helpful as possible in the run-up to Christmas Day, opening doors for strangers, giving up her seat on the bus and helping her neighbor with shopping.

But when she woke up on Christmas morning, she was angry to realize she was still in the temporary accommodation of one room with her mother and brother.

As she looks around the room, which is filled with bags of belongings, she says, “But I’ve been so good.”

Shelter estimates that more than 131,000 children in England will wake up in temporary accommodation on Christmas Day this year, an increase of more than 10,000 on last year and the highest on record.

The film, set to Steve Winwood’s 1986 hit Higher Love, follows the launch of last year’s successful ‘Brave Face’ campaign, which also saw a young child spend Christmas in temporary accommodation.

Shelter and Don’t Panic, the creative agency behind the campaign, worked closely with people who have lived in temporary housing to recreate the conditions they faced, including damp living conditions, mold on the walls and an entire family shares one bed. as the emotional impact on the family.

Polly Neate, Chief Executive of Shelter said: ‘There are now more than 131,000 homeless children stuck in temporary accommodation, the highest number ever recorded.

At the heart of the campaign is the film, titled ‘Good As Gold’, which follows Maddy, played by eight-year-old Tilly Walker.

It opens as a typical feel-good Christmas movie in the style of heartfelt TV advertising campaigns before delivering an emotional ending

In the clip, we see Maddy being as ‘good as gold’ hoping to be rewarded with the thing she wants most for Christmas: a house

“This ad brings to life what it really means for a child to have nowhere to call home. Make no mistake: a cramped hostel room or a dilapidated bedroom is not a home, but this is the place where far too many children will wake up on Christmas morning.

‘As we head into winter, Shelter is doing everything it can to help the thousands of families who will become homeless this Christmas.

‘Our expert counselors work in communities across the country, answering our emergency hotline and providing free, expert case work.

“But as more people turn to Shelter, we need the public to help those who want a home.

“By giving what you can, we can support thousands of families experiencing homelessness this winter.”

As more people turn to Shelter for help, the charity needs further support from the public to help the thousands of families who will become homeless this winter.

Rick Dodds, Creative Partner at Don’t Panic London, said: ‘We wanted to build on the success of last year’s ‘Brave Face’ campaign and captivate audiences with our latest work for Shelter and make them fall in love with Maddy and even laugh with her.

“We didn’t want anyone to guess she was homeless. By creating as much joy as possible in the first part of the film, we knew the reveal would hit harder and make everyone care more about Maddy and her situation.”

The heartbreaking film is set to Steve Winwood’s iconic 1986 Higher Love soundtrack

The clip shows the child helping her neighbor with tasks, including dragging her Christmas tree to her house

Later, she is seen taking her neighbors’ groceries to her house

The campaign highlights that more than 131,000 children will wish for a home this Christmas and wake up in a cramped hostel room or a dilapidated bedroom, while many thousands more are at risk of losing their homes due to rising housing costs and evictions.

Shelter’s partner HSBC UK will sponsor the media space for the advert as it runs on TV networks throughout the winter period.

Luke Harper, Head of Partnerships at HSBC UK, said: “We’re proud to be supporting Shelter’s Good as Gold advert and ensuring it reaches as many people as possible this festive season.

‘Homelessness and poor financial health often go hand in hand. That’s why HSBC UK is working with Shelter to help people build financial resilience and break the cycle of homelessness.”

Please visit www.shelter.org.uk/donate to donate.