Sleeping rough so others don’t have
to
News
Section: Longhurst and Havelok Homes RSS
Feed 
Publish Date: 26 January 2012
Author: Rebecca
Mills
Two Housing Support Workers from L&H Homes
in Grimsby, Maggie Winship and Helen Martin, will be sleeping rough
overnight on February 3rd as part of the Sleep Easy
campaign which is organised by the Grimsby, Cleethorpes and
Humberside YMCA.
The aim of the campaign is to highlight
awareness of youth homelessness, as well as raising money to help
local support services.
Maggie said of the upcoming challenge:
“When I found out about this initiative, I knew I wanted to
take part to find outwhat a night without a bed might feel
like on a personal level. The campaign is closely linked
to our work at L&H Homes too, where the Housing Support Team
and the Stepping Stones Team do a lot to help people find somewhere
to live and to maintain their tenancies.
“Even though it is only for one night, the
experience will give us a much better understanding of what others
endure; we have to make our own shelter from cardboard and sticky
tape and deal with the bitter cold.”
Helen commented: “The Sleep Easy campaign
is really effective. It carries a very strong message about the
conditions that homeless people face on a nightly basis and helps
to raise money – as well as awareness – for local support
services.
“Since we signed up, our
colleagueshave been extremely supportive and we’re really
grateful. I think taking part in the event will definitely help us
fully appreciate the work that L&H Homes, the YMCA and other
organisations do to tackle homelessness.”
Last year’s Sleep Easy campaign in Grimsby
raised nearly £15,000 and organisers are hoping that the 2012
campaign can raise at least £25,000.
Jerome Whittingham from Grimsby, Cleethorpes
and Humberside YMCA said: “This is a very challenging event for
everyone involved and the support we have from the public and
corporate teams is fantastic. With well over 200 people
participating from across the Humber region, this is likely to be
the largest fundraising sleep out event in the UK this
year.”
The Grimsby, Cleethorpes and Humberside YMCA
hostel accommodates up to 98 young people at any one time and
around 300 women and men access its support service for homeless
young people each year.
Jerome Whittingham, Manager & Sleep Easy
Co-ordinator added: “Due to the current economic hardship that
many local families are enduring, and changes to the benefits
system, it is likely that more families will break up, and more
young people will find themselves in the seemingly hopeless
situation of having no place to call home. The GCHR YMCA
supports local homeless and disadvantaged young people, providing
comfortable accommodation by night and a range of life-changing
support services by day. Every pound raised by this year’s
Sleep Easy campaign will be spent ensuring that our work with
homeless young people can continue to deliver results.”
The overnight Sleep Easy challenge will be
held at Blundell Park, the home of Grimsby Town FC. Volunteers will
be sleeping rough in their cardboard beds on Friday, February 3,
from 6.30pm to 6.30am.
If you would like to sponsor Maggie and Helen
please visit https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/maggiewinship1
or https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/helenmartin1