It’s appropriate that the first assignment for The NeneQuirer is a look at homelessness because at the time of writing the magazine does not yet have a home.
I am joining The Big Sleep Out, Northampton Hope Centre’s annual fund raising event that last year attracted 140 participants and raised £38,000 to help the centre fight the causes of homelessness.
The idea is as simple as it sounds, you sleep out like you’re homeless for one night and you collect sponsorship for doing so. Of course you are not facing the full range of challenges that bring people to that situation in real life, but you are at least experiencing the cold of their world.
This year it is happening in Abington Park between the bandstand and the cafe. We have been provided with a kit list, we get signed in and out by stewards and have been briefed on the signs of hypothermia to watch out for. The kit, I should add, is extra layers of clothes, sleeping bags and the essential sleep out item – a cardboard box to lie on.
A lecturer from the University of Northampton is taking part.
At the moment the temperature is -4c, for the sleep out tonight a ‘real feel’ of -1c is predicted as well as intermittent showers.
My Just Giving page for the sleep out is here.
For the purposes of posterity, here is the…
Kit list
| Item | Purpose/Description | Essential | Option |
| Cardboard box | To sleep in or on! | √ | |
| Roll mat or plastic cover | To put on the ground if damp | √ | |
| Plastic sheeting or ‘survival bag’ | To put over your box if raining or snowing | √ | |
| Pillow | √ | ||
| Warm sleeping bag | √ | ||
| Extra blankets | Good for wrapping around you when sitting/ standing around | √ | |
| Clothing Layers | ·       Thermal long johns, tights or leggings
·       Extra pair of jeans or tracksuit trousers OVER usual trousers ·       Waterproof trousers (in bag just in case) ·       Thermal long sleeved top/vest or tight fitting t-shirt as underlayer ·       Minimum two further thin layers, pref with long sleeves ·       Warm jumper/sweater(s) – at least one ·       Very warm, weather proof coat/jacket ·       Scarf ·       Thermal hat ·       Gloves ·       Waterproof jacket/cagoule
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| Weatherproof footwear & extra socks and/or thermal socks | Preferably boots that are a size bigger than usual so that you have space for several pairs of socks without them being tight (tight shoes = cold feet!) |
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| Food & Drink | ·       Energy bars, chocolate etc
·       Water or energy drinks |
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| Torch | Essential as it can get very dark! | √ | |
| Fold up chair/stool | Warmer than sitting on the ground all night! | √ |
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