On Thursday 11th March, colleagues across Ashdown Phillips bedded down in gardens, bathtubs and shopping centres for LandAid’s SleepOut 2021, raising money and awareness for young people who are forced to spend their nights on the streets.

Braving wind and rain, our teams camped out in sheds, tents and shopping centre service areas, with some even creating their own shelters from found items, raising an incredible £3,139.74 so far to help LandAid in their mission to end youth homelessness.

Marie Gribben, Centre Manager at Middleton Shopping Centre in Manchester, spent the night alone in the centre’s service area. Speaking about her experience, Marie said; ‘My initial thoughts, as I prepared the cardboard to lay on was apprehension, was fear of the unknown. Unlike genuine homeless people, I had the relative security of being locked inside a service area and whilst the external temperature was extremely cold, I did feel safe. I spent most of the night flitting in and out of sleep, waking periodically for a cup of warm water and at best trying to be comfortable. There is something to be said for being alone with your own thoughts…last night was a real eye-opener.’

A massive thank you to everyone who has donated so far, helping us toward our target of raising £10,000 for LandAid by October in our capacity as a Foundation Partner of the charity. If you would like to donate to help LandAid with their important work, you can do so here.