LGBTQ+ Celebs & Politicians Rally To Support Wayside Chapel For Homelessness Week 2025

Politicians and LGBTQIA+ celebs got up early to join Wayside Chapel in acknowledging Homelessness Week, and had a shower to advocate for people sleeping rough this winter. 

Yesterday was Wayside Chapel’s second time holding their 24-hour fundraising campaign annual giving day, the Potts Point charity service invited high-profile supporters to have an early morning shower at the Kings Cross Community Service Centre, labelling the event ‘Turn the Tap on Dignity’.

The event acknowledges this week being Homelessness Week, and this year the awareness week carries the theme ‘Homelessness Action Now’.

Wayside Chapel had the target of raising $481,000 — this is the amount it costs Wayside to keep the vital hot shower service going for one year. The chapel offer 12,000 showers each year to those doing it tough on our Sydney streets.  

“Showering should be a basic right, not a luxury,” says pastor and CEO of Wayside Chapel, Jon Owen.

“Our visitors often go days without access to a clean, safe place to wash. The showers cost us nearly $481,000 annually to provide. On Giving Day, we’re asking the public to help keep this essential service going for another 12 months.” 

“Homelessness services are overwhelmed,” reads a press statement from Wayside. “40% have had to shut their doors during operating hours just to cope
with demand and the AIHW reports rough sleeping is on the increase.”

LGBTQIA+ celebs and politicians show up for Wayside Chapel

A large number of politicians and celebrities — which includes lots of LGBTQIA+ legends and gay icons! — were in attendance at Wayside Chapel‘s event yesterday morning.

This included Olympic legend Ian Thorpe, Deputy Lord Mayor Zann Maxwell, writer Benjamin Law, ABC News host Jeremy Fernandez, Marcia Hines, independent MP Alex Greenwich, Councillor Yvonne Weldon AM, Wentworth MP Allegra Spender, Olympic swimmer Bronte Campbell, and NSW Housing & Mental Health Minister Rose Jackson.

“AIHW data shows that 34% of people who have experienced homelessness were more likely to report having a mental health condition.,” said Ian Thorpe. “I wore my shower robe and headed to Wayside Chapel to take my morning shower to shine a light on the importance of dignity and the impact of a hot shower for people experiencing homelessness – especially this winter.”

Homelessness Week 2025: The latest homelessness data reflects stark reality 

 In a report released this year by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, worrying statistics reflect an increase in homelessness and a decrease in the individuals being able to access services.   

In 2023-2024, statistics reveal that 6 in 10 clients were female, with 9.3% aged 55 or older. 1 in 3 of the clients were single parents with one or more children, 12% of male clients were aged 55 or older, and 39% of clients had experienced family and domestic violence.

Among these distressing facts: the LGBTQIA+ community is twice more than likely to experience homelessness compared to the rest of the population.