Erasure’s Andy Bell donates £1,000 to Bristol charity One25 by way of PEUGEOT (EXCLUSIVE)
PEUGEOT donated £10,000 via the Attitude Magazine Foundation for winners of the PEUGEOT Attitude Pride Awards Europe, supported by British Airways, to give to a cause close to their heart. Here’s how Andy Bell has shared his
By Dale Fox
When volunteers from One25 take to the night-time streets of Bristol in their outreach van, they are meeting women at their most vulnerable. The charity supports those trapped in, or at risk of, street sex work by offering food, clothing, safety supplies and, crucially, trust. Last year alone, they reached 260 women — each facing overlapping challenges of violence, addiction, poor mental health and homelessness. Thanks to a £1,000 donation from Erasure frontman Andy Bell, funded by PEUGEOT via the Attitude Magazine Foundation, that work now has even more backing.
“The real figures of homeless women, as opposed to the ‘official’ government figures, shocked me” – Andy Bell
“I saw a documentary on TV about outreach volunteers on the streets of Bristol helping homeless women surviving on the streets, and it literally broke my heart,” Bell tells Attitude. The film highlighted realities often hidden from public view, showing women who are surviving night by night, and the volunteers who do what they can to keep them safe. A recent census the charity supported revealed that government figures underestimate the number of women rough-sleeping in Bristol by 23 times — evidence that pushes for better recognition of women’s experiences in policy and services. “Anyone can lose their home in an instant, and the real figures of homeless women, as opposed to the ‘official’ government figures, shocked me,” says Bell.
The statistics reported by One25 reflect what Bell describes. Its 2023–24 annual report found that 98 per cent of women they worked with had experienced domestic and/or sexual violence, 94 per cent were living with significant mental health needs, and 74 per cent were or had been homeless. Despite these immense challenges, the charity’s impact is clear: 127 women were made safer, 213 accessed health and wellbeing support, and 36 exited street sex work.
“Domestic abuse is a huge factor and so difficult to escape from”
For Bell, the choice of One25 connects to his longstanding advocacy for marginalised women. “I’ve always been a supporter of sex workers and believe they should be given protection by law, not treated like criminals and moved on constantly in a vicious cycle,” he says. The PEUGEOT Attitude Pride Icon winner also spoke of the “indescribable” vulnerability faced by women forced onto the streets and the courage it takes to rebuild a life after violence. “Domestic abuse is a huge factor and so difficult to escape from, which makes me admire their courage tremendously when they manage to do so.”
“[Donors’] generosity and loyalty have enabled us to be here for women” – One25 spokesperson Abby Dudley
One25 works to break those cycles by building trust through non-judgemental support. Its outreach van is a visible presence, but it is only part of a wider programme that includes drop-in sessions, casework and long-term support to help women move towards independence.
And none of these services would be possible without donors. “[Donations] are hugely important for One25, allowing us to be flexible and responsive to the needs of women,” One25 spokesperson Abby Dudley tells Attitude. “[Donors’] generosity and loyalty have enabled us to be here for women over the past three decades, and we are truly grateful.”
Affirming his support for the organisation, Bell tells us: “One25 and the women they protect deserve all the respect that we can muster.”
This is an excerpt from a feature appearing in the 2025 Attitude Awards issue. To see the full feature, order your copy of the Attitude Awards 2025 issue now or read it alongside 15 years of back issues on the free Attitude app.