Zoe Lyons backs Make Change Count, Brighton's eight-charity homelessness appeal

The Brighton comedian appears in a new video for the city-wide appeal, which shares every donation equally between eight homelessness charities. Here is where the money goes and how to give.

Tim

Published 21:17, Monday, 26 October 20262 min read

The Clock Tower in Brighton seen from below, its clock faces and gold ball against a blue sky — Brighton’s Clock Tower, photographed in April 2011

Brighton comedian and presenter Zoe Lyons has put her name to Make Change Count, the city-wide appeal that brings eight homelessness charities together to raise money for people sleeping rough or at risk of homelessness in Brighton and Hove.

She appears in a new campaign video released for World Homeless Day on 10 October, and says she is backing the appeal because it “brings charities together to help people who are facing homelessness in our city”.

The appeal still has a long way to go. When we checked the campaign’s JustGiving page on Monday 26 October, it showed £350 from nine donations, plus £87.50 in Gift Aid. At its launch in September the aim was £20,000.

What Zoe Lyons said

YMCA Brighton, which issued the announcement for the campaign, quoted Lyons:

“I’m supporting Make Change Count as it brings charities together to help people who are facing homelessness in our city. Everybody deserves a safe space.”
Zoe Lyons, comedian and presenter

The video went live on the campaign’s Instagram page on Saturday 10 October. YMCA Brighton said Lyons has a busy schedule over the next few months and is not giving interviews about the campaign at the moment.

The charities say giving through the appeal is the most effective way to help people experiencing homelessness. Their reasoning is that homelessness is complex and people need more than a place to sleep: professional, compassionate support can help someone move away from rough sleeping and towards a safe home and a more secure future.

Where the money goes

Make Change Count was established in 2016 and has the backing of Brighton and Hove City Council and Sussex Police. Anything given to the appeal is shared equally between the eight charities, and the campaign page says no funds are used for charity administration.

Make Change Count at a glance: established in 2016, eight charities share every donation equally, an aim of £20,000, and £350 raised from nine donations on the JustGiving page when we checked on 26 October 2026 — Make Change Count at a glance. Sources: YMCA Brighton, the campaign’s JustGiving page and our earlier report.

Between them, the eight organisations offer street outreach, emergency accommodation, supported housing, practical help, specialist services, health and wellbeing support, and help towards longer-term stability.

The eight charities behind Make Change Count: Antifreeze (Off The Fence Trust), BHT Sussex, BWS SIG Equinox, YMCA Brighton, Sussex Nightstop, The Clock Tower Sanctuary, YMCA DownsLink Group and Change Grow Live — The eight charities and what each does. Source: campaign details issued by YMCA Brighton.

How businesses can get involved

The campaign is also asking local businesses and organisations to take part, and to raise awareness of homelessness among their staff, customers, clients and networks. Businesses can support it through charitable giving, fundraising or corporate social responsibility activity, or simply by sharing the campaign and its message.

How to give

Donations go through the campaign’s JustGiving page, which is hosted by The Clock Tower Sanctuary, one of the eight charities. The campaign posts regular updates on its Instagram page.

Another of the eight, YMCA Brighton, is also opening Steine House for a Regency coffee morning on 20 November, which we covered in our Steine House report.