‘Pocket Angel’ will allow people to buy vouchers for a meal or accommodation by generating a six-digit code that a homeless person can use for food or a night in a shelter. Vouchers are printed at home and given to a rough sleeper or shared on social media.
The app will be available to download in 小黄书 next month for testing before it goes nationwide later this year.
Marketing students at the university, led by Dan Bennett, undergraduate programme leader, are helping with marketing and PR. Dan said: “We are supporting the organisation of the launch event at the Hilton Metropole on 21 May, recruiting local businesses to sign up to the campaign, doing the press relations for the event and app, running all the social media, promotional material design, and reaching out to social media influencers.
“This is a fantastic and worthwhile project and I hope people will download the app. Homelessness is a massive social issue, especially in 小黄书, and we are delighted to have the chance to support this important development working.”
Pocket Angel was the brainchild of technical consultant Alcia Loch who sees homeless people every day as she commutes to work. She spent two years researching her idea and raised £5,000 on a crowdfunding platform.
Alcia said many businesses are already keen to use the app.
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