For most people, life in Edinburgh at this time of year is full of festive cheer, with plenty of splashing the cash and celebrating in a nice, warm home with family and friends.
But an increasing number of people living on the street don’t get the chance to be part of the fun, and it’s easy to forget that.
No turkey, no mince pies, no Queen’s Speech — just the hope that you’ll make it through another winter.
An eye-opening experience I had last week brought home the harsh reality of the life of a homeless person at this time of year.
Last Thursday, I took part in Social Bite’s CEO Sleepout in Edinburgh’s Charlotte Square — a charity sleepover which challenged business leaders to experience just a tiny part of the life of a homeless person in Edinburgh by spending 12 hours outdoors in a sleeping bag.
And I was in good company. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, pictured, was there, as was six times Olympic gold medal winner Chris Hoy, and I chatted with a lot of familiar faces in the business world.
There was great spirit and camaraderie —– and in the early hours, there was a real sense of relief, tempered by the knowledge that there are thousands of people out there that have to do that every day.
We weren’t kidding ourselves: we knew it wasn’t an authentic experience. It wasn’t representative of the life a homeless person lives at any point in the year.
We had food, our sleeping bags were given to us, and we had umbrellas. But it worked by raising awareness and generating funds.
In the long term, the Sleepout money will help the charity create a village for 20 people who will then receive huge support in seeking job opportunities and, fundamentally, just how to exist – basic things that most of us take for granted every day of the year.
My supporters have helped me raise an incredible £15,000 for Social Bite so far. I am completely overwhelmed and humbled, and it has made me realise what can be achieved.
I’ve had a close relationship with the charity for some time now and I am continually amazed by the work it does on the ground to support Scotland’s most vulnerable people.
Set up by social enterprise entrepreneurs John Littlejohn and Alice Thomson more than four years ago, it began as a small sandwich shop that aimed to raise money for good
Source: The Scottish Sun.
