In sub-zero temperatures and swirling sleet scores of people chose to sleep out in the City of London last night to raise money for the homeless.
They included three Communicators, who for who opted to forgo their warm beds to support the Lady Mayoress and Lord Mayor’s fundraiser in Guildhall Yard and get a taste of what it is like to sleep rough.
The Lady Mayoress Amanda Keaveny is an active supporter and volunteer at a number of London-based homeless charities and is keen to raise awareness of the issue more widely in the City.
The £85,000 raised goes to Spitalfields Crypt Trust and The Lord Mayor’s Appeal which supports charities that focus on mental health – often one of the main causes of homelessness.
“It was so cold!” said Communicators Past Master Deborah Oliver, who spent a sleepless night in the Yard with the Communicators Junior and Senior Wardens Sarah Jurado and Neil Griffiths. “Thankfully we had plenty of cardboard to lie on.”
“I can’t imagine what it’s like to have to do this all the time,” said Neil Griffiths. “It was a real eye-opener to experience what so many people are having to go through.”
