On Friday I will be spending the night sleeping rough for the Sleep Easy event 2017 to raise money for Lincoln’s YMCA, helping homeless and vulnerable people. 

Last year, on a very bitterly cold and rainy night, an unnamed homeless man died behind a church close to where I live. When I heard this I was stricken with the thought that if anyone had known he was there or knew his situation, they may have helped him and he could have survived the night. This played on my mind as I took a bunch of flowers to lay next to the church, I didn’t know where exactly he had died, but I was expecting to find other flowers laid by other people (ex family members, friends, anyone who cared…) only to find that no flowers had been left.

As far as reports claimed he was an ‘unnamed homeless man.’ Although before his situation declined he was a son. He may have been a father, or at once a husband, brother, friend etc. This haunted me throughout the year as I think about him often (never knowing his face/name/anything about him) in order to keep some respect alive for him, whoever he was.

There is a detrimental and damaging stigma surrounding the support of homeless charities, or the aid of homeless people. Stigmas such as “they’ll only spend it on drugs or alcohol” or “they’re not really homeless, it’s a con.”

I am taking part in the Sleep Easy campaign because I care that on cold, bitter nights, many people are sleeping rough. For whatever reason, this is a harsh reality. Some people do not have an easy life, they may not make the right choices or they may fall onto hard times or bad luck. Whatever their reasons, we should come together to help people through these vulnerable times without judgement.

I would be incredibly grateful if your were to sponsor me for my night of sleeping rough. Amongst others also fundraising for this event, we are allowed to make shelter out of cardboard, and will be sleeping over night outside Lincoln Cathedral, whatever the weather, in support of this wonderful charity!

HERE is the link for my fundraising page if you do wish to support my fundraising efforts, however your lovely messages of well wishes are equally appreciated! Thank you so so much to the incredibly generous people who have donated already, I am grateful beyond words for your support!