Where will you be sleeping tonight?

2Oct/090

Tonight, I will be sleeping out, under the stars, in Potters Fields, London, SE1. I will be joining around 300 other IT and Business Professionals in London, and over 500 all over the country, to participate in Byte Night 2009 - Action for Children's annual sleep-out for the industry in aid of eradicating Youth Homelessness. The money raised goes to Action for Children to help them tackle the root causes of homelessness is Britain's youth, and helps get thousands of children and young people off the streets and into secure accommodation, while providing them with education, training, and job opportunities.

So why sleep out? We all know about the homeless - the stereotypical person dressed in the torn trenchcoat, unkempt hair, with a coffee cup asking for your spare change. Many of us turn a blind eye to them, or look down our noses. But how many of us realise that it's not just the adults who are affected by this? Young people, often as young as (or younger than!) 13 or 14 are left on the streets, often through no fault of their own. It could be a result of a family breakup, a misunderstanding, or an abusive relationship. In the first case - the cause doesn't matter. No-one deserves to be on the streets, and even less so the youth of our society - the future of our country. And if they are on the streets - they hide. They don't dare go sit on a street corner asking for change. They are scared. That's why I believe it is important to have an organisation that is attempting to do something about this.

The money I raise will go towards Action for Children's activities in supporting those children and young adults who have been left without a home, for whatever reason. Many of them need support - whether they be embroiled in a drug culture (again - not always through their own fault), in an abusive relationship with their parents, families, or partners, or have simply made a few wrong turns and need some help. If it was you in that position - you'd want a second chance. That is what I hope I am able to provide by raising money for Action for Children, and specifically Byte Night.

You can read more about Byte Night 2009, and find out more about where your donations will go, at their website. And I ask that, if you can, you please make a donation to (or, if you like, sponsor me to sleep out for) Action for Children and Byte Night 2009 on my JustGiving page.