Friday 15-12-2017 - 11:09

On Saturday 9^th December 2017, over 8,000 people experienced what it is like to sleep out on a cold winter’s night. Sleep in the Park, the world’s biggest ever sleep out event, took place in Princes Street Gardens in Edinburgh with the aim of raising funds to bring an end to homelessness in Scotland.

Social Bite, the charity behind the event, have made it their mission to tackle homelessness head on. Their cafés and restaurants, based in Scotland’s major cities, offer job opportunities and support for people from homeless backgrounds. Sleep in the Park is the first step in a five year plan to eradicate homelessness across Scotland.

Click here to see their video.

The event was hosted by Rob Brydon, who introduced acoustic sets from acts including Frightened Rabbit, Amy MacDonald, Deacon Blue and Liam Gallagher. Inspiring speeches from Chris Hoy, Bob Geldof and Social Bite co-founder Josh Littlejohn, helped to illustrate the struggles that homeless people face on a daily basis, and highlighted the changes that we must make as a society to ensure that nobody has to live without a home.

Students and staff from QMU took part in the sleep out challenge, and their fundraising efforts contributed towards a growing total of £3.7million! In line with fundraising, a number of organisations have generously pledged to provide new homes across Scotland’s central belt.

EdIndex, which includes The City of Edinburgh Council and a number of housing associations including Dunedin Canmore, Castle Rock Edinvar and Port of Leith Housing Association, have collectively offered an amazing 275 homes for homeless people in Edinburgh

Wheatley Group has pledged an additional 200 homes for people in Glasgow and the central belt.

Including the Social Bite Village, which is currently being built in Edinburgh, this adds up to 495 homes across the central belt! 

The money raised will help fund the support structure for the people moving into these tenancies. This will include addiction support, getting a bank account in their name, support with mental health, helping them into employment and more - removing them from the cycle of homelessness and finally including them in our society.

The final fundraising amount will be announced by Social Bite on Christmas Eve.

Have a look here for a taste of Sleep in the Park.

Stewart Sands (Student President), Isabel Canepa (Student Engagement Officer), and Madi Jones (Communities Officer) were among those who took part in the event. They were joined by QMU student, Rory Pilbeam, and QMU lecturers, Joe Goldblatt and Lois White.

Stewart Sands, Student President

“I feel really proud to have joined 8,000 people to sleep out in Edinburgh on one of the coldest nights of the year in an effort to bring an end to homelessness in Scotland. It was physically and mentally challenging, and a real eye-opening experience. I felt very fortunate that after waking up with frost on my sleeping bag, I had a warm bed to go home to. Sadly, there are still so many people who have to sleep in these conditions every night.

Sleep in the Park has made a huge step forward in changing this reality. Hopefully we can all work collectively to influence a positive change in our society and offer those living without a home the support they deserve, and end homelessness for good.”"There is no them and us, there is only us."

Isa Canepa, Student Engagement Officer

“Our experience sleeping rough was not nearly as tough as it is for homeless people. It was not what I would define as a 'fun' experience on one of the coldest nights in Edinburgh at -6˚C degrees; however, we were put to sleep by a lullaby concert and food vans everywhere to keep warm, making it more bearable. I can't even begin to imagine how exhausting and terrifying it is for people who have no choice but to live like this, on a daily basis. 

I am proud and honoured to have been a part of Sleep in the Park 2017, making history, creating the movement to end homelessness in Scotland. I want to make a difference and I know Social Bite will make a difference.”

Madi Jones, Communities Officer

“Sleep in the park was a real eye-opener for me and made me realise and appreciate how fortunate the majority of us are. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at sleep in the park and I am proud to say I was able to take park in raising the funds to help end homelessness.

For me the biggest thing I took away from my experience is that we, as a society, need to end the stigma which surrounds homelessness. As Bob Geldof said on the night 'There is no them and us... there is only us'. Some of the people that have received help from Social Bite made some speeches about their experiences of sleeping on the streets and said in order to end this stigma the first step we need to take is to stop ignoring them. Being homeless is a very isolating and dangerous situation to be in. So why not buy an extra tea or coffee in the morning and give it to someone who needs it. These people are human just like us and nobody in this day and age should be living this way.

All in all I can say I appreciated the fact that I had a nice warm bed and a roof over my head to return to after the freezing cold night. It wasn't a realistic representation of what these people endure night after night, but I am glad that I was given the opportunity to help Social Bite with the amazing work they do to help.”

 

QMU Students’ Union would like to say a massive well done to all those who took part in Sleep in the Park and for helping raise money in support of a fantastic cause!

If you would like to find out more about Social Bite and Sleep in the Park, follow the links below.

Sleep in the Park: www.sleepinthepark.co.uk/

Social Bite: http://social-bite.co.uk/