Cyrenians Back in December, Mr Sewell presented us with his idea of arranging a sleep out in school grounds to raise money for Cyrenians, the Coventry based homeless charity.
Cyrenians provide individualised support to promote and enhance the life chances of people who are homeless, or at risk of homelessness, and empower them to live as independently as possible. At first, being young adults who love being at home, we thought it was a challenge that we couldn’t face. “I can’t do it, I need my WIFI”, “It will be too cold for me” were some of the excuses people gave, including myself. A few people, however, were strangely keen to take on the challenge and the rest of the class finally agreed to join them. It is shocking to hear that more than 75,000 young people become homeless every year in the UK and with this in mind, the date was set - Friday 8 December. Yes, you could
call us all mad for choosing the coldest time of the year, but how better to fully appreciate what it’s like to live alone, outside in the cold? On the evening of the Friday 8 December, nine students and two teachers set out to survive one night in temperatures of -1˚C. It was a very cold night, even lying in our sleeping bags, wrapped up in four or more layers. To try keep ourselves warm, we even played hide and seek around the school. We only spent one night outside and although I managed it, I couldn’t imagine spending my life on the streets. What struck home the most was the lack of safety homeless people must suffer. We were secure in the
school grounds, but this is a luxury people living on the streets simply do not have. They are at the mercy of the cruel nature of some individuals who consider it fun to verbally and physically abuse them. Spending one night outside makes you realise just how difficult it is to survive in the harshest conditions, in the thinnest of clothes. The class was happy when we collected all the sponsorship money, as we managed to raise an impressive £810.00 (cheque photo taken before total amount reached). So, next time you see a homeless person, why not buy them a hot drink, or give them your gloves. A small act of kindness will go a long way.
BABLAKE SCHOOL
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the LION