Unseen Tours

We're so grateful for all support we've had this year to amplify the stories of our wonderful tour guide even further. And this was one of those moments - when our friends at Broadcast Revolution helped get Halimot Ogunnaike's new Unseen Tours of Canning Town, using the Sama Sama International methodology, onto the BBC. Shout out to the wonderful Camila Holden-Ayala and Rosie Buck for helping make this happen, and to Robert Taylor for this wonderful piece that really captured the importance of this new tour. https://lnkd.in/e8QaJsBa #UnseenTours #SamaSamaInternational #CanningTown #Newham #WalkingTours #ResponsibleTourism #homelessness #HumanTrafficking #SurvivorStories #London #tourguide #SocialEnterprise #SocialEntrepreneur

Today is Social Enterprise Day, a celebration of businesses that prioritise positive social impact over profit. As a not-for-profit social enterprise, we are proud of the difference we make through our walking tours - curated and led by guides with experience of homelessness. Our work goes beyond offering meaningful employment and opportunities for up-skilling. We aim to foster social inclusion for our guides and challenge misconceptions about homelessness by raising awareness of its complexities. Every tour not only empowers our guides but also educates our guests, making a tangible impact on how the wider public perceives homelessness. For us, operating as a social enterprise means putting people, the planet, and the community at the heart of everything we do - it’s not just part of our mission, it is our mission. Today, show your support for the social enterprises in your community, and together let’s amplify the positive impact we create! #SocialEnterpriseDay #UnseenTours #SocialImpact #Homelessness #NotForProfit 

We're all set to go for our guest lecture about social entrepreneurship and tourism for The George Washington University at the kind invitation of Seleni Matus. Thank you for giving us this opportunity to share the work of Unseen Tours and Sama Sama International with your students today! We're looking for an hour of wonderful conversations and the sharing of new ideas! #GuestLecture #GeorgeWashingtonUniversity #ResponsibleTourism #SocialEntrepreneur #SocialEntrepreneurship #UnseenTours #SocialImpact

Does the fact that there's at least 1 child experiencing homelessness in every London classroom surprise you? Unfortunately with homelessness continuing the rise in the capital, this is only going to become more common. Conversations about homelessness are never easy. Our Unseen Tours of London can help raise awareness in a friendly and informative way, and are a great addition to schools - helping bring the classroom to life, and have these conversations with people who have the lived experience. You can find out more about how we work with schools here: https://lnkd.in/dgtzw9Bd #UnseenTours #Schools #Conversations #homelessness #WalkingTours #London

Co-creating this Westminster Unseen Tour with Anne has been an incredibly meaningful experience. This tour is not just about seeing the iconic sights of Westminster from a new perspective, but about hearing untold stories that challenge our perceptions of homelessness. It’s vital that people with lived experience of homelessness, like Anne, play a role in shaping the tourism industry. Their insights bring a depth and authenticity that traditional tourism often overlooks, and this empowers both the guides and the participants to engage with the city in a transformative way. Thank you to everyone who joined us for our launch just over a week ago, and we look forward to many more of you joining Anne on an eye-opening walking tour to see Lambeth and Westminster from a new perspective! https://lnkd.in/e_nGDCjx #UnseenTours Unseen Tours Sama Sama International #WalkingTours #SocialEnterprise #SocialEntrepreneur #homelessness #Westminster

"I have enjoyed several of their experiences, all of which have exceeded their claim: “Our brilliant guides, being formerly homeless, know the streets intimately and will show you the real London through their stories and unmatched knowledge of the area’s history.” I have been a frequent visitor to central London and I worked there for a decade; each one of the Unseen tours I have experienced opened my eyes to places that I had walked past but not seen. If you are in London, be sure to book one of their tours." Harold Goodwin Thank you so much for this wonderful write up, Harold. And thank you for all your support and advice for how we can do better with our social enterprises Unseen Tours and Sama Sama International - and for all that you have done and continue to do to make our travel industry better and more responsible for everyone. Read the whole blog here: https://lnkd.in/eJnahSru #ResponsibleTourism #ResponsibleTravel #SocialEnterprise #SocialEntrepreneur #homelessness #AttitudinalChange #PurposefulTravel #SocialImpact #HaroldGoodwin

Tuesday marked the official launch of Unseen Tours’ new walking tour from Lambeth to Westminster. Despite the pouring rain, our guests showed up with a smile on their face, ready to learn from and support Anne, having recently completed her guide training. It was amazing to see Anne’s confidence in sharing her experience of homelessness as she touched on the often-overlooked indignities of those who are vulnerably housed in the capital. Following the tour, we gathered to reflect on Unseen Tours’ impact, celebrated some of the highlights over the past year, and set our intentions for the next, as members from other homelessness organisations, the responsible tourism industry and our long-term supporters joined us. Having our community show up for us (even in the pouring rain!) to celebrate our Westminster tour, and to enjoy some friendly competitiveness with our Not-In-A-Pub Quiz was truly heartwarming. If you are a long-time Londoner, familiar with the ins-and-outs of the city and want to hear a different perspective, or just stopping by and want to choose a socially impactful way to explore, Anne’s Westminster tour is a great option. You can join her next tour here:  https://lnkd.in/eGZBxZUV #UnseenTours #SocialEnterprise #NotForProfit #Homelessness #WestminsterTour #WalkingTour #LondonExploration 

We are beyond excited to have launched our walking tour from Lambeth to Westminster, co-curated and led by our newest tour guide Anne. Having dug deep into the area’s history and key figures, Anne’s “Forgotten to Famous - The Heroes Who Shaped Our World” walking tour explores London’s most iconic landmarks whilst delving into the often-hidden indignities of those who are vulnerably housed. Co-created using the methodology developed by Sama Sama International - specialising in supporting marginalised communities to design and lead their own walking tours of their own communities, the tour considers what lies beneath the grandeur of the capital by providing fresh perspectives on iconic London landmarks. As a trained actor, Anne brings history to life and performs live theatre to portray her own experience of homelessness. As part of World Homeless Day, we hope this new walking tour will not only entertain and educate, but also encourage Londoners and visitors alike to rethink their perceptions of homelessness. We’d love to see you on our next Westminster tour! To book your tickets visit: https://lnkd.in/ev7tuTGM #WorldHomelessDay #Homeless #Homelessness #SocialEnterprise #UnseenTours #SamaSamaInternational #Lambeth #Westminster #SocialImpact

"Rough sleeping is a lifestyle choice — as those words from a former Home Secretary still echo in the chambers of Westminster, I invite you to step outside and join us for a walk in Whitehall this World Homelessness Day. If you do come with us, you’ll hear lesser-known, but no-less-incredible stories of London’s unsung heroes, told by extraordinary people such as our newest tour guide, Anne. On the stroll from Lambeth to Westminster, Anne will also share her own experiences of being homeless in the capital...." Read the full piece here: https://lnkd.in/eGD-_pb6 On world homeless day, we're so excited to be launching our new Unseen Tours Lambeth-Westminster. Thank you to the lovely Juliet Kinsman for helping us get this piece onto the Standard today. And a shout out to our very own Giacomo Mason for the photos! #WorldHomelessDay #homeless #homelessness #SocialEnterprise #UnseenTours Unseen Tours Sama Sama International #ResponsibleTourism #Westminster #Lambeth #London #SocialEntrepreneur

Unseen Tours Launches New Walking Tour: Lambeth - Westminster with Anne, Marking World Homeless Day London, UK – To mark World Homeless Day, Unseen Tours is proud to announce the launch of a new walking tour from Lambeth to Westminster, co-curated and led by our newest tour guide Anne. This new tour is the latest in Unseen Tours' mission to provide fresh perspectives on iconic London landmarks while raising awareness of homelessness. Anne’s tour offers a unique take on one of the city's most famous districts, blending historical facts with personal stories that shed light on the realities of homelessness in London. Starting with a sing-a-long that brings to life the Lambeth Walk, from the 1937 musical Me and My Girl, Anne shares stories not found in any guidebook. From the grandeur of the palace of Westminster to the stories of women like Mary Seacole that the world almost forgot, the tour highlights not just the visible landmarks, but also the often-unseen struggles and resilience of those facing homelessness. Unseen Tours, an award-winning social enterprise, has been offering alternative walking tours of London since 2010. Each tour is guided by individuals who have experienced homelessness, providing them with income, stability, and a platform to share their stories. The launch of the Westminster tour continues the organisation’s commitment to tackling social stigmas and promoting inclusive tourism. Anne, the guide leading the Westminster tour, said: "I’m looking forward to taking people on this journey from Lambeth to Westminster, showing the familiar sights from a different perspective, and drawing attention to social issues as well, to show that tourism and social issues are interconnected." The tour has been co-created using the methodology developed by Sama Sama International, who specialise in supporting marginalised communities design and lead their own walking tours of their own communities. The Sama Sama approach creates opportunities for attitudinal change through community-led storytelling, tour curating and guide training. Jayni Gudka,  Founder of Sama Sama International & CEO at Unseen Tours, said: “Co-creating this Westminster Unseen Tour with Anne has been an incredibly meaningful experience. This tour is not just about seeing the iconic sights of Westminster from a new perspective, but about hearing untold stories that challenge our perceptions of homelessness. It's vital that people with lived experience of homelessness, like Anne, play a role in shaping the tourism industry. Their insights bring a depth and authenticity that traditional tourism often overlooks, and this empowers both the guides and the participants to engage with the city in a transformative way." Full press release: https://lnkd.in/e9HkEpEj #WorldHomelessDay #Homelessness #SocialEnterprise #London #Westminster #Lambeth #WalkingTour