This time last week, eight members of Team Trident were waking after a difficult night, they spent the night outside, for the LandAid Sleepout 2023.
Every day of every year, thousands of young people are homeless, but what does that really mean? When we think of ‘homelessness’ we automatically think of the most visible form – sleeping on the streets, and while this may be one of the most dangerous forms of homelessness, it is just the tip of the iceberg. Homelessness refers to anyone who doesn’t have a private, secure, decent, and affordable place you can call home.
We’re really, really, proud to support LandAid, a charity who brings the property industry together to support charities who deliver life changing services for young people, who are, have been, or who are at risk of homelessness. Therefore, we were keen to once again to take part in the sleepout and raise vital funds that will help LandAid make a difference.
One week on from the SleepOut, we caught up with some of Team Trident who took part to reflect on the experience.
This wasn’t the first SleepOut for our Managing Director, Dan Roe, but it may have been the hardest yet:
“It was definitely the coldest yet. Sleeping out in London is hard. It was freezing and there is lots of noise and light pollution that wakes you through the night. However, this is one night in the cold sleeping in a safe environment around friends and colleagues. I can’t even begin to imagine what being homeless is actually like.
What resonates most with me is our perception of why someone is without a home. We often link homelessness to things like substance dependency, but what I have cone to realise is that for many, homelessness is driven by the fact it is their best and only option. In the cities we live and work in homelessness is all around us. Shockingly there was a 25% increase in people who are classes as homeless in the last year – that is a horrible statistic, and why more than ever, LandAid needs our support.” – Daniel Roe
It was the inaugural SleepOut in Glasgow this year, and Executive Director Scott Young was eager to attend.
“A key reason to join in was to raise awareness of the plight young people face when homeless. I’m not even going to remotely think for an instant, that I can even begin to imagine the fears and hardships that any young person must experience in those situations.
Attending the sleepout last week was certainly no picnic. It was grim. It was tough. You think you might know what it will be like and that you will take it all in your stride, but in reality, you can not even begin to imagine just how challenging it really is. Thanks to the sleepout I got to take a tiny glimpse through the smallest of windows, within the confines of a very safe environment, of just how difficult and challenging homelessness must be. I cannot even begin to imagine how it must feel mentally and physically when this is someone’s reality, day, after day, after day.
I would whole-heartedly advocate anyone to look into LandAid, participate in their events and challenge yourself. To reiterate, I thought I knew, but I didn’t. I believe its currently 2023 in the UK, so it’s incredibly sad that homelessness continues to take place in our towns and cities. Thankyou so much for those who have supported us. I know, having spoken to some of the recipient charities that the money will go to last week the positive difference the injected of funds will make to young peoples lives.” – Scott Young
In Leeds, Elliot Watson and Tom Hardy tackled the sleepout, and came away realising it’s not just the night on the streets that’s tough, it’s the following day that really took it out of them.
“To say heading to work the next day was tough is a big understatement! I had a site visit in Sheffield with another one of the Leeds team, running on minimal sleep and maximum coffee is something I’ll try and avoid in the future. I can’t image how young people who are homeless can hack, not just having a job, but being capable of working to their most potential, day in day out considering their situation.” – Tom Hardy
“The Sleepout was a tough challenge. We were provided a hot meal prior to setting up our ‘beds’. The hot food helped with the cold, so I dread to think what it’s like sleeping on the streets on an empty stomach. Even though we were inside of Trinity shopping centre you could still feel the elements, leading to a cold and uncomfortable night laying on the concrete floor. LandAid staff were on hand making hot drinks throughout the night to warm the participants; a luxury people on the streets don’t receive.
Work the next day was a struggle. I had the benefit from working from home, but even then a night of no sleep prevented me from being very productive. The
sleepout helped me realise how bad it is to sleep on the street and the constant struggle homeless people have to go through. The work LandAid to is so important!” – Elliot Watson
Thank you to everyone who gave up their evening in support of LandAid, and there is still time to donate and you can do so here https://join.landaid.org/fundraisers/TridentSleepOut23 – Any donation will make a real difference.
