Craig David lends his voice for social housing

British R&B icon Craig David joins Shelter to visit his childhood social home, and makes an urgent plea for more social housing.

British singer Craig David, wearing a white t-shirt emblazoned with 'Trust the Universe' sits on a cream sofa in his childhood social home next to his mother, who wears black trousers and a denim shirt, and has blonde hair and glasses.

On 3 April, Shelter took Craig David and his mum Tina back in time to his childhood social home in Southampton’s Holyrood Estate. As Craig relived old memories, he paid a poignant tribute to the place that made him. 'Growing up in a social home, to me, was everything. This was the foundation. It allowed me to then go into the world and create music that has touched people's hearts,' he said.

Craig joined Shelter in calling for more social homes. 'Knowing there's so many kids that haven't got the same opportunity that I was given to grow up in social housing… it really is heartbreaking,' he said.

Watch the video of Craig David visiting his childhood home

Watch Craig visit the social home he used to live in, and play songs from his celebrated debut album Born to Do It, which was written in his bedroom 25 years ago.

Video transcript

It just feels different. Because I know that I would've sung that right here in this position like doing this exact thing. Not knowing what it was gonna do.

Oh wow. Come on in. Wow. Same cupboard. This is wild you know.

Craig started life with the first few months in a bedsit. When we were lucky enough to have this social housing

having our own space was just amazing and he just thrived from day one.

Growing up in a social home, to me, was everything. It was the safe space that my Mum had created for me

to be able to do and create and be everything that a young kid wanted to be.

This is the same brickwork. The same bar that I would've held. If all of the last 25 years just evaporated and I was back here, I would feel as wholesome as I do now - because it’s just - Friendships. Yeah, and the camaraderie and the whole vibe and it’s just a sense of community. It just feels like you're a part of something. We knew everybody. Shall we go see the bedroom?

Wow. This is vibing. Do you know what's crazy? It's the songs Mum. To be here in this space looking out of that same window. Fill Me In. Rewind. Walking Away. It happened here, yeah. Yeah. And what makes it so wild is that

you can create something in this small beautiful, safe space that then changed all of our lives.

Knowing there's so many kids that haven't got the same opportunity that I was given to grow up in social housing

it really is heartbreaking. Because when you are living in such an affluent country that there are kids out there who haven't got the opportunity to be given this kind of housing.

♪I’m walking away♪

We absolutely need to invest in social housing. Because this home gave me the foundation for me to become the man that I am today. And I feel like every child in this country should have that opportunity.

♪Oh, to find a better day. I’m walking away♪

You could feel it, Mum. That smile, that's everything to me.

Photo of the limited edition 'Commitment' tour lanyards available at selected Shelter shops. There is the box and the lanyard (the lanyard has a photo of Craig David wearing black jumper against a bright pink background and the text reads - Craig David Commitment Tour Edition)

Limited edition lanyards at Shelter shops

Craig David has donated a set of limited edition lanyards to our shops. These were available for fans to buy on his recent tour promoting the release of his upcoming album — Commitment.

The lanyards come boxed, with access to a digital pre-order of his new album and some exclusive content.

This includes a performance of Walking Away filmed in Craig's childhood social home during his recent visit there with us. The track is from his debut album Born to Do It which was written in that same social home 25 years ago. Simply scan the code with your smartphone for access.

The lanyards are now available to buy from selected shops and all proceeds will be donated to us to help fight the housing emergency.

The lanyards are available to buy at the following Shelter shops:

Brighton
Bristol Clifton Village
Bristol Prom
Kings Cross
Hampstead
Islington Boutique
Clapham Common
Wimbledon Village
Crystal Palace
Holloway Road
Finchley Road
St Johns Wood
Highgate

'We absolutely need to invest in social housing, because this home gave me the foundation for me to become the man that I am today. And I feel like every child in this country should have that opportunity.'

- Craig David

Britain demands more social housing

We need social housing - not 'affordable' housing, that is anything but affordable for the many low-income households.
— Felicity, Bristol

Without it, I’d be homeless with a child.
— Vivien, Suffolk

Let's build social housing

On 11 June at the Spending Review, Chancellor Rachel Reeves decided the future of social housing for the next five to ten years.

Our campaign urged her to make social housing a priority and the government pledged £39 billion for a new ten-year Affordable Homes Programme.

We now need a target for the number of social homes that the government will build, along with increased investment, to start building 90,000 social homes a year for ten years to end the housing emergency.

Learn more

Other ways you can get involved