It’s a couple of weeks now since I took part the YMCA Sleep Out in the Pannier Market. They did very well and raised about £2,500 and I’d like to thank all those people who very generously sponsored me to the tune of roughly £450. As almost all of this was Gift Aided it means that the YMCA will actually benefit by about another £100 as they can claim tax back from HMRC. If you pay tax in the UK and give money to charity always try and Gift Aid it, as it means that the charity concerned actually receives about 25% more than you Git Aided.

Sleeping out for one night in a covered space wasn’t too much of a trial. I was warm, as I had a decent sleeping bag, but the concrete floor was very hard and a layer of cardboard didn’t do a lot to alleviate things.  I also had access to a loo and running water and could go straight back to a nice comfy bed when it was all over.

For people who do actually have to sleep rough, keeping dry and warm must be a major concern. The almost total absence of public toilets must also make life very, very difficult or them.