Depaul Trust capitalises on David Blaine stunt
Howard Lake | 24 September 2003 | News
The Depaul Trust is using illusionist David Blaine’s stunt in a box suspended over the Thames to highlight the dangers faced by homeless people.
The Trust’s advertising agency Publicis is running a poster campaign on sites donated by media agencies. The poster reads “Living in a box without food? Sounds familiar.” It first appeared on an advertising van as Blaine entered his box and it is now on display around London. According to Third Sector, a passer-by donated £4,000 after seeing the poster on the first night.
Dave Redfern, director of fundraising at Depaul Trust said: “David Blaine’s feats of endurance are truly remarkable but some people live on the streets for months or even years with no end in sight… It’s not easy living in a box when the abuse starts. David Blaine is protected in his, has security guards and is out of reach from physical harm. Young people who have to sleep on the streets face a far more terrifying ordeal and often don’t get any sleep at all because they are so scared.”
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About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.