Yzabelle Bostyn
MEET the British expat and heavy metal frontman who dedicates himself to Benidorm’s homeless.
“It’s better to have a fence at the top of a cliff than a fleet of ambulances at the bottom,” explains one of Spain’s most unusual yet big-hearted British expats.
Jonny ‘Hellraizer’ Elraiz has quietly been making a name for himself providing food and support for hundreds of homeless people around Benidorm on the Costa Blanca.
PHOTO: White Coast Rebels
Raising hell on the stage and heaven on the streets, Jonny ‘Hellraizer’ Elraiz is behind Benidorm’s City Streets project, providing food and support to the city’s homeless.
Tattoos, piercings and a long black beard, Jonny Elraiz is not a stereotypical charity boss, but the 50-year-old metal musician is nonetheless ‘determined to change the world.’
Originally from South East London, Elraiz began helping Benidorm’s homeless in 2020, when he started giving out sandwiches during his daily walks.
Four years on, he is now at the helm of City Streets Community Project, a non-profit organisation which helps hundreds of the city’s homeless get off the streets.
PHOTO: City Streets Facebook
“I’ve always done stuff for the homeless because I know what it’s like, I am an ex-heroin addict and was on the streets of London. I’ve been clean for 22 years now,” he told The Olive Press.
“As a musician I had a lot of free time during the pandemic so I started giving out food. Covid marked a transfer of wealth from the bottom to the top and now, the population is in crisis, the idea of becoming a homeowner resigned to the history books.”
After working with existing charity Project4All for three years Elraiz established City Streets in Benidorm, providing food and assistance to the city’s homeless.
PHOTO: City Streets Facebook
The non-profit helps people from all over the world who have found themselves living on the streets.
Their team of 12 volunteers is also international, with a mix of expats and Spaniards helping out.
They work together with local restaurants and the British Consulate to help with documentation, repatriation, clothing, food and more.
“It’s better to have a fence at the top of a cliff than a fleet of ambulances at the bottom,” Elraiz said.
“We’re not Deliveroo for the poor, the food serves as a way to start conversations and build relationships so we can help get people off the streets.”
For Elraiz, a typical day starts at 09:00 am and between food rounds and metal gigs, doesn’t finish until 04:00 am.
He is part of many bands, including White Coast Rebels, who are preparing to launch their second album after their European tour.
“People think we only sing about Satan and demons but music, culture and life go hand in hand. It’s heavy metal, but we sing about everything from partying to being angry with the system to falling in love,” Elraiz said.
One of their videos, Hanging with the Bad Boys, even includes a cameo from Benidorm royalty, Johnny Vegas.
A rebel at heart, Elraiz even named three of his children after rock’s finest: Elvis, Axel and Ozzy.
To catch him in Hellraizer mode, catch a show at any of their ‘sin city’ favourites: the Heartbreak Hotel Benidorm, The Million Dollar Bar, The Western Saloon or The Crown.
Learn more about City Streets Community Project by visiting their website: citystreets.es
