Pupils reflect on a humbling experience

Worth pupils have raised more than £2,500 to help tackle homelessness following a night sleeping outdoors.

The Chaplaincy Reps sacrificed the comfort of their own beds on Saturday as they slept in their gardens to raise money for the Cardinal Hume Centre, a charity in London which offers a wide range of services for homeless young people and families in need, helping them gain the skills and support they need to overcome poverty and homelessness.

Members of the Chaplaincy team also took part in the ‘Sleep out to help out’ initiative and the School’s fundraising total for the Cardinal Hume Centre now stands at £2,543.

One Year 12 student who took part, Anna, said: “I found this experience extremely eye opening, as it highlighted to me how truly lucky we are and the everyday things we sometimes take for granted. I have found a new-found respect for those who are struggling and have to sleep outside, especially in the winter months (sleeping outside in March is cold enough for me!).

“Even though I was in the safety of my home/garden, I still felt a little frightened, so I can only imagine how those who have to sleep in unfamiliar, unsafe and constantly changing environments most nights must feel. Overall, I’ve found this experience hugely beneficial and humbling and would recommend it to others who feel they might need to be brought down to earth as it really put my ‘problems’ into perspective.”

You can still sponsor the Chaplaincy Reps for their sleepout by clicking here.