More than £50,000 has been raised for the Wycombe Homeless Connection following two Big Sleep Outs in Marlow and Wycombe.
Marlow’s fourth annual Big Sleep Out took place on Friday, November 22 at the town’s All Saints Church on the High Street, with Wycombe’s sixth annual Big Sleep Out taking place a day later at Adams Park.
READ MORE: Thousands raised at High Wycombe's annual Big Sleep Out
The event saw people from both towns camp out overnight and tackle the cold, wet and windy conditions as members of the public replicated what it is like for those who are currently living on the streets.
Marlow had 26 participants in 12 children and 24 adults sleep in the churchyard, whilst 150 people slept in the Beechdean Dairy Ice Cream Stand at Adams Park.
READ MORE: What the people of Chesham, Marlow and Wycombe can do to help tackle homelessness
One of the sleepouters who spent the night at Marlow’s All Saints Church said: “I couldn't bear to just sit by and watch as more and more people are becoming homeless.
“I had to do something.
“That's why I'm sleeping out to raise money for Wycombe Homeless Connection."
Another added: "I was lucky that, when I became a single mother and hadn't anywhere to live, my dad could put me up for free.
“Some people don't have families or savings to fall back on, and it's for these people that I'm sleeping out.
“I want to make sure this charity will always be there to support them."
The sleepouts are designed to raise money for Wycombe Homeless Connection.
The charity recently started a pilot project to offer a Housing Legal Drop-In service every fortnight.
This is based at Broadway Baptist Church in Chesham town centre.
This is open between 2pm and 4pm every second Thursday, where homeless people and those who are at risk of it, can drop in to seek advice from legal specialists and trained support workers.
Heather Stanley, marketing manager at Wycombe Homeless Connection then added: “At the moment, there is a huge amount of people experiencing homelessness by sleeping in their friends or family’s houses, which is called sofa surfing – this is called the secret homelessness.
“The Big Sleep Out has been amazing for Wycombe Homeless Connection over the last few years and we’ve got a team of around 100 volunteers who are doing numerous shifts over the night as well as the sleepouters, so it’s great that people from all over the town have come together to help those who need it.”
To donate to Wycombe Homeless Connection, visit: www.wyhoc.org.uk.
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