Rough night in store for campaigners

A NIGHT bunking down on the cold pavements of Oldham awaits dozens of hardy campaigners.

The brave group will set up camp on the streets on Thursday, March 22, to highlight the plight of those with no option but to sleep rough.

Dubbed “The Sleepout”, the awareness-raising stunt was carried out last year by a handful of staff and volunteers with three homeless organisations: De Paul UK, the Threshold Housing Project and Positive Steps Oldham, as well as Oldham Theatre Workshop.

But this year, organisers are going one step further, with 30 already signed up. They’ll station themselves outside the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Positive Steps Oldham on Union Street and outside Oldham Theatre Workshop.

Neil Thomas, customer involvement co-ordinator for Threshold, said: “Last time it was so cold out there but being in a group you can’t for one minute get a grasp of what it would be like to do it alone.

“We’re not trying to replicate sleeping on the streets as you know you’re going back to your warm home the morning after — but we really want to make people aware of what people go through.”

Last year, just 12 hours out in the cold managed to raise £1,200 for the Inside Out project, a scheme to provide starter packs and essential training to help get the homeless back on their feet.

This year, as well as a crop of fund-raisers sleeping out for 12 hours, others will stay on the streets for 24 hours from noon on Thursday to noon on Friday.

Neil added: “Waking up in the morning will be tough for them, not knowing where to go or what to do that day.”

To donate to the cause, visit www.justgiving.com/insideoutsponsoredsleepout2012.