A man has said that the thought of where he would be without a Northampton homeless charity “terrifies” him, ahead of one of the centre’s biggest fundraising events.
The Hope Centre will stage its annual Big Sleep Out event on Friday, February 7, with the goal of raising awareness and finances for those experiencing homelessness and suffering in Northamptonshire. Participants will get a sense of what it’s like to sleep rough during one of the coldest months of the year.
The charity has stated that the funds raised by the event are “absolutely critical” in allowing the shelter to operate, conduct community outreach services, and give targeted help for the most vulnerable. The Hope Centre reports that the sleep out, which has been going on for over a decade, has raised more than £20,000 each year.
Speaking with the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), one guy described how he fell on hard things and turned to the Hope Centre for help.
The 50-year-old, who declined to be identified, claimed he ended up sofa-surfing with friends for a year when his marriage collapsed and he was unable to work due to health issues. At the start of the new year, he moved into the Hope Centre’s winter night shelter.
He stated the thought of where he would be right now without the charity’s help “terrifies” him.
He went on to say, “The average Joe Bloggs strolling by someone in a doorway has already assumed that they’re either into drugs or booze or have been in prison – essentially, they’re doing something that isn’t socially acceptable. But there are those, like me, who have simply fallen on hard times and have lost their way in determining who to turn to.
“I’ve never had to seek for help or apply for Universal Credit. When I left my last job, I had 2,000 employees around the country. But I had no other options; there was nowhere else to go. Then someone told me about the Hope Centre.
“Being here has kept me off the streets; I have a warm place, a bed, and, most importantly, you have a support staff here. This place would not exist unless someone went above and beyond. If you are willing to accept help, they will do everything in their power to assist you.”
This year’s Sleep Out theme is ‘Cold and Unseen’, which aims to raise awareness of the mental health issues associated with homelessness and to emphasize that being homeless, which might involve sofa-surfing, residing in a hostel, or rough-sleeping, is only temporary.
According to Kyra Williams of the Hope Centre, “A lot of people see street homeless as a permanent situation, and when you see that, people are less willing to help because they think ‘well, they’re always here, it’s their choice.'” It is not like that at all.
“We have a large number of folks who are homeless and require assistance until they can locate suitable housing. Fundraising is critically crucial. Without public donations and funding from local communities, we simply do not have enough money.
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