Before I launch into writing this I want to first extend my thanks to all of the staff and volunteers associated with the various charities and St Albans Cathedral who took part and stayed awake all night to make sure sponsored charity sleepers were safe in challenging and chilly conditions. A big thank you also to our nominated charity Centre 33 and to all those who took part.
On Friday 4th December it was a relatively mild night as December evenings go. I had spent most of the afternoon, as the light faded, packing a small rucksack that I usually take with me on my longer walks in the countryside, with a few extra provisions. Before leaving the house it was the threat of cold that worried me most as I knew from my formative days of late night escapades in the pubs of the town that, even in the summer months, the temperature drops dramatically in the small hours until dawn. As a result, my little back was rammed full of extra jumpers, gloves, hats and kit you might expect a climber on Mt Everest to be using, not somebody bedding down for a night on the grass in an affluent market town in Hertfordshire.
I was wearing five layers and had a belly full of hot pasta when I left the house at 8.30pm and drove towards my open air hotel for the evening. I parked my car in St Michael's village and walked through Verulamium Park. The park was dark, deserted and the solitude allowed me to consider the very real feeling of being alone in the dark without a warm abode or a bed awaiting me later on - this alone is quite an eerie feeling. Clutching my sleeping bag under my arm, I pushed on towards The Fighting Cocks and then up the hill to the Abbey itself which was fully lit and a welcoming sight after the dark depths of the lake at the bottom of the hill.
Upon arriving the scene was bustling with volunteers who all appeared to be in good spirits, swapping tips to keep warm and some already within the grounds building cardboard cities and shelters on a surprisingly large scale! Registration was inside the Refectory in the new chapter house, and was filled with people of all ages carrying sleeping bags, paperwork and kitted out in anything from extreme survival gear to animal 'onesies'. The refectory was to be open all night serving tea, coffee, soup, biscuits, sandwiches and was staffed by volunteers.
After registration I was slowly roasting inside my cocoon of layers so I set out to find a spot which later presented itself at the very far end of the cathedral grounds, just on the south eastern corner of the abbey gateway. Another group arrived and helped me to make the best use of the space, and they also brought with them some cardboard and plastic sheeting to defend against the innate damp and seeping cold lodged in the ground.
The first 3 or so hours were reasonably pleasant, with a good level of interaction with people around us and, when sitting on cardboard, the wind gusting up to 25mph only posed a problem inasmuch as if anything wasn't nailed down it would inevitably be blown away and would require a frantic chase - this of course renders you rather warm and well deserving of a sit down.
I will say now that I cannot even begin to suggest that I understand what being homeless is like. I cannot say with any conviction that my experience entitles me to speak for anyone in such a situation - all I can put forth is that I now have a slightly greater understanding of the hidden elements of the reality of the experience. For me, the cold wasn't really a problem - I had many layers and I was inside a very warm sleeping bag, tucked into a large plastic bag (kindly donated by a neighbouring sleeper) on top of a cardboard box. The temperature didn't affect me, and in honesty the location wasn't terribly uncomfortable either, save for the constant gusts of wind which were at times quite frightening.
The worst element of this was the constant interruption of sleep, whether it is from the wind whipping at the plastic sheeting or my face, passing cars and people, chattering voices and laughter nearby - it's a constant psychological assault, and it really brings home the fact that it's hard enough to get some sleep in a controlled charity sleep out event where you know that the following day you can be in your own bed.....now imagine coping with little or broken sleep on an empty stomach, or when ill with cold, flu or a more serious illness, not knowing if you're safe from robbery or violence, not knowing if you'll be woken to be 'moved on' or urinated on by passing drunken revellers who assume it might be amusing.
I am the type of person who prefers darkness, quiet, and moderate temperatures in order to get a good night's sleep. during my school days as a cadet I have taken part in night exercises where we "slept" (we didn't sleep at all!) outdoors on frozen ground in temperatures of -4 degrees C. That was hard, it was cold, but we were mentally prepared and we knew it would be over the next day.
This occasion it wasn't so cold out of the wind, but I can't stress enough at how much the psychological impact of constant interruptions to your sleep could quite easily break you down - and imagining that night after night, with no end in sight, in addition to being invisible to society. And the problem becomes apparent when 'society' doesn't want the homeless on their streets and employ methods such as spikes in doorways and encouraging police to move the homeless out of town centres and away from residents homes. Imagine the feeling of your former peers and neighbours wishing you gone without a second thought.
In the end I made it through most of the night, and managed to wolf down a cup of tea and a festive turkey and cranberry sandwich from the refectory before gathering my things and staggering off to my car for the zombified drive home and subsequent collapse into my bed. I did sadly end up with a bout of flu and fever which lasted until Sunday which I think was coming on any was so perhaps it was my own stupid fault for taking part when I might have been better calling it off, but I'm glad to say I've now recovered and I feel that I have a slightly deeper insight into homelessness, although I know it's just the tip of the iceberg and I've barely scratched the surface.
I thoroughly recommend taking part in the sleepout. It's a great event, it's fun, it's interesting, it's exciting and it really does open your eyes to a whole world of experience that you might not otherwise have known about. My top tips for making it through the night are;
- A good sleeping bag and warm clothing are a must.
- Collect cardboard and plastic sheets and take it with you. Cardboard is a readily available source of insulation and is incredibly portable. You'll need one to put your head in, and a flattened one for the ground. The plastic sheets go under the cardboard as a sort of damp proof course, and also around your sleeping bag to stop rain and dew making everything soaking wet!
- Go with at least two other people or join another group if you're alone. Make sure you get there early to stake out a good spot that is out of the wind. It's more fun as a group and you can keep an eye on each other too.
- Take plenty of warm clothing, particularly gloves, hats, scarves and make sure your ears are covered.
- It's only one night, but having some basics with you will make it more comfortable - small packable items such as water, chocolate, oaty snack bars, fruit juice, and things such as plastic bags for rubbish will make your life easier on the night.
- Enjoy yourself! The event has a serious message, but if you come along, take part and have fun it will be infectious and encourage more people to take part, which means more money raised for the charities where it will be put to good use in a serious way.
I hope this has helped give you a little insight on the Sleep Out 2015 and encourages you to take part next year.
If you missed the chance to donate and would like to do so, you might just be the key to us getting to our target of £500 raised for Centre 33. You can donate by following the link here. If you donate via PayPal, they will donate 1% to match your donation, and if you DO donate, please 'Gift Aid' your donation so that the charity can claim back the tax! We are also fundraising through Virgin Giving rather than JustGiving since Virgin are a non-for-profit organisation meaning our chosen charity gets more of the money you donate.
Finally, a MASSIVE THANK YOU to everyone who supported me in doing this. You're going to put a smile on a lot of faces that otherwise might not have had one this Christmas. You're amazing. Thank you.
