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This year the team participated in the annual Simon on the Streets event – a charity ‘rough sleep’ to raise both awareness and money for the charity. Last year I participated in the event and found it to be a very enlightening experience, making a real difference to peoples lives. I’ll be honest; I’m not the kind of person who gives money directly to street beggars, as I don’t believe it will help. I prefer to give food or ideally financial aid directly to charities instead (making use of gift aid). As we were quite successful at raising £500 last year, and earlier this year a further £1,000, I decided to put myself through it all over again!
OK, so I’ll confess; last year I decided to sleep without a sleeping bag – just in a cardboard box. I will be honest; it wasn’t fun, and at 4am I really felt the cold penetrating deep within my bones, so this year I decided to do what anyone approaching their thirties would – to bring a sleeping bag. Whilst rummaging through my gear I happened to find a survival bag from my childhood in the Scouts (the massive orange bag in the picture), and I have to say it really helped to keep the wind out. So in fact this year it wasn’t that bad at all – I wouldn’t say that I slept well, but it certainly wasn’t the worst nights sleep I’ve ever had.
Which brings me on to this picture of Andrew – he decided to ‘do it the hard way’ like I did last year and I must say I’m impressed! Andrew managed the whole night in conditions which were not pleasant, and in fact he only retreated to the office in the morning (conveniently located just 30 seconds walk from the newly appointed Leeds Minster grounds where the event took place).
