350 sleep rough in Birmingham city centre to raise money for homeless

Dec 5 2009 by Jane Tyler, Birmingham Mail

A BUNCH of hardy people swapped their warm beds for cardboard boxes when they took part in a charity sleep-out in Birmingham.

More than 350 brave souls huddled in cardboard boxes in a Digbeth car park last night to raise money for the youth homeless charity St Basils.

This year is the 20th anniversary of the Big Sleep Out which sees the car park and street outside St Basils’ offices in Heath Mill Lane become a cardboard city.

Over the years the event has raised tens of thousands of pounds for the charity’s work in preventing young people sleeping rough.

Last year the event raised £32,000 and fund-raising officer Steve Rainbow said they relied on it to run their various hostels and homes across the region.

“It costs approximately £38 to keep a young person at St Basil’s for a night,” he said.

Every night more than 350 young people sleep in a bed provided by St Basils – without that help they would be living rough on the streets.

Each year the charity also finds permanent homes for 150-250 people. St Basil’s spokeswoman Catherine Clarke, who helped organise and took part in the first sleep out, said it was a fantastic event.

“It is the nearest experience we can give people to what it’s like to sleep rough,” she said.

Among those taking part were the Bishop of Aston the Rt Rev Andrew Watson.