HOUSING bosses slept rough on the streets of Leamington to bank cash for the homeless.
Directors at a Warwick-based property developer L&Q Estates took part in the Big Sleepout 2023.
The colleagues slept in the grounds of All Saints Church in Leamington and also had an office collection in lieu of the usual Secret Santa activities.
As a result, they have raised over £6,000.
L&Q Estates Managing Director Adrian Clack it was the first time he had taken part in the Big Sleepout and it had provided a valuable insight into homelessness.
He continued: “Homelessness is a real problem throughout the UK and this was an opportunity to spend a night on the streets to get an insight into what homelessness really entails.
“It was a cold night but very heart warming and we all went through a wide range of emotions.
“There was a soup kitchen van to provide a hot meal and drinks before we started but I think one of the most striking aspects is that however cold we felt on Friday night, we knew we were going home on Saturday morning to a hot shower and breakfast.”
The aim of the Big Sleepout is to raise vital funds for homeless and vulnerable adults locally, to help people who have left their homes because of mental health issues, domestic abuse, relationship breakdowns and isolation as well as helping them start to acquire skills such as NVQs to try and get back into work and make positive contributions to the area.
A new report from homeless charity Shelter – released in January – found that 2,208 people in Coventry and Warwickshire are currently classed as homeless.
