Unseen Tours

Unseen Tours runs guided walks through Brick Lane, Shoreditch, Camden, Covent Garden, London Bridge and Mayfair, each led by a guide who has experienced homelessness or insecure housing. Walks run around two hours and mix local history with the guide's own story of living on the area's streets, ending most weeks at a nearby pub or cafe. Groups are typically 8 to 12 people, and tours run year round regardless of weather.

The organisation grew out of The Sock Mob, a volunteer network that has engaged with London's street community since 2010, and now works with guides across eight parts of the city. Guides keep the majority of each ticket price directly, with the remainder covering the social enterprise's running costs. Beyond the income, guiding gives participants a route back into regular paid work and a platform to challenge assumptions about homelessness directly, in their own words, rather than through a charity appeal.