Fundraising for YMCA

On Saturday 30th January I took part in a fundraising event for YMCA Central Herts for the homeless. It meant that I and another 75 people slept out for the night in sleeping bags and cardboard boxes at a section of the car park of the Hatfield Galleria. I can honestly say I have never felt so cold in my life and it really made me think about what it is must be like for homeless people to sleep out night after night in these freezing temperatures. At one point the temperature was down to -4C. We were lucky, the Galleria put on a security person to patrol all night and the local police were informed of our fundraising event, so I never felt that I was in any real danger. There were times I could hear people walking, shouting and laughing in the middle of the night and a number of really loud cars and motorbikes went screeching past and even though I knew I was safe I still felt apprehensive. Again my mind turned to what it must be like to live on the streets and be in such a vulnerable position. I don’t have any answers about how to end homelessness, but the YMCA Central Herts raised around £13,000 that night and if that helps take even one person off the street, it will have been worth it.

Check out an article in the Welwyn Hatfield Times to read all the details.