It’s 5:04am and our makeshift shelter is falling apart. My watch tells me I’ve had a grand total of four hours sleep but a combination of the concrete floor, gusting wind and noisy trains make more sleep impossible. Around me, many people are evidently in the same predicament and have resigned themselves to a dreary start, packing up their temporary digs and brushing teeth with glazed eyes.
This is the fourth year I’ve taken part in the Landaid SleepOut and over time, I’ve learnt that this is the hardest bit. Any sense of intrigue for what’s to come, or joviality that comes with sharing such a unique experience with colleagues is gone. You’re left with a dull head and aching limbs. Truth be told, if I had an important meeting or exam today, I fear my performance would be below par. I feel positively C-.
And I think it’s that very point which makes the SleepOut so impactful. Because it’s that feeling, a somewhat resigned, cold start to the day that many people living on the streets will feel day after day, week after week. And no doubt that feeling, in time, will amplify - both mentally and physically. It’s that sober reflection which really struck me this morning and the main reason why I’ve made the SleepOut a return event in the calendar.
Indeed, let’s not forget that the SleepOut is only a simulation of what it’s like to sleep rough. We chose to be here. We know it ends at sunrise. The security on the door meant that whilst we may have slept fitfully, we at least didn’t have to keep one eye and ear out for fear of danger. Our dry clothes and bedding are easily taken for granted, yet with the last few months of torrential rain, might have been considered a luxury to someone on the street. The clean toilets and tea urn likewise.
There is one brighter reflection that was also reinforced: the power of people and friendship really can see you through the roughest of times. The shared experience of trying to make a slab of concrete “home” for the night, of keeping spirits up with a games and laugher, of respecting each other’s decision to take part in the experience. I can’t imagine doing the SleepOut by myself and can only begin to imagine how tough it would be to navigate homelessness without support.
One cold night is a small sacrifice. A safe place to sleep can change a life. Please donate to support LandAid’s work tackling youth homelessness.