Southall Big Sleepout
Thousands raised for Hope for Southall Street Homeless
More than 20 people braved the wet and windy weather for the inaugural Big Southall Sleep Out, raising over £7,500 for local charity Hope for Southall Street Homeless (HSSH).
The event was held at the West London Construction Academy, which is located at Berkeley’s Southall Waterside development. It involved members of the Southall community and people who work for Berkeley spending the night outside to raise money for HSSH. Virendra Sharma MP and Lord Young of Norwood Green came to support the Sleep Out with local faith leaders and some of Berkeley’s trade partners and suppliers who are involved in building Southall Waterside.
On the night, participants were given an insight into the realities of sleeping rough with a talk from Navraj Singh from HSSH, who took part in the event alongside other representatives of the charity.
HSSH was established in December 2015 and runs a night shelter in Southall, which provides accommodation, cleaning facilities and hot meals to local homeless people.
Navraj Singh from Hope for Southall Street Homeless said: “Homelessness is as visible on the streets of Southall and across London now as it has ever been. A key focus for us is educating the public on the issues that cause people to sleep rough and the difficulties they face on a daily basis.
“I’d like to thank everyone who took part in the event and those who have donated – the money raised will help us to support people come off the streets and take steps towards a healthier and more sustainable future.”
Lord Young commented: “It was great to see everyone getting involved in the Sleep Out. Although it was only for one night, sleeping rough and hearing from Navraj was truly eye-opening. It underlined the importance of the work HSSH is doing in our community to help those who are homeless and tackle the issues that may cause people to be on the streets in the first place.”
The Big Southall Sleep Out was organised as part of the ongoing partnership between HSSH and Berkeley West Thames. So far over £90,000 has been raised for the charity from the partnership – along with helping to fund its night shelter this money has enabled HSSH to recruit a full-time complex needs case worker. Their focus is to support individuals reconnecting with family and provide access to health and employment services.
You can support HSSH and sponsor the Big Southall Sleep Out by visiting the fundraising page: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/southallsleepout
March 10, 2020