Two more well-known Burtonians have signed up to brave the cold and raise funds for the homeless at a special sleep-out event organised by the YMCA.
The event, which takes place across the weekend of Friday, November 10, in Tamworth, and Saturday, November 11 in Burton, will give people the opportunity to sample life sleeping rough on the streets.
Volunteers taking part in Tamworth will walk 14 miles to Burton, camping out either in the tunnels of the Pirelli Stadium or in the graveyard at St Modwen’s Church, in Burton's Market Place.
Last year saw a record-breaking 155 people take part, with volunteers ranging from as young as six years of age up to 75, raising £33,602 in the process.
Participants are being encouraged by YMCA organisers to take part in as much or as little of the weekend as they can, but children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
Councillor Helen Hall, representative for the Burton ward at East Staffordshire Borough Council, has signed up for her first sleep-out.
She will be taking part along with 14 other businesswomen from around Burton and South Derbyshire as part of a team named 'sleep-out sistas'.
Councillor Hall said: "It will be strange, I'm a little anxious about how it will feel, but it is nothing compared to those who have no choice. I have the luxury of choosing to do it for one night, and I’m very aware that other people less fortunate have no luxuries.
"I am asking my residents, friends and family to donate. I may do a fund-raising party to boost my target. I hope it will show my residents what the YMCA is trying to achieve in their community."
Chris Maddox, the community partnerships and charities manager at Burton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, will be taking part in his second sleep-out after being part of last year's record-breaking event.
He said: "My reasons for wanting to take part in this event is that I do feel lucky to be in the position I am in; I have a permanent place to live.
"I still feel just as inspired, if not more inspired to sleep out again. The partnership between YMCA Burton and Burton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust over the past 10 months has gone from strength to strength and recently I got the opportunity to join the outreach team."
Mr Maddox passed on advice to anybody thinking of taking part: "I'm not sure if I'm qualified to give tips as I was so ill prepared last year. But, think layers, lots of layers. Remember, although at Burton Albion we'll be lucky enough to be under cover, it is in November and it will be cold.
"Sleeping bag, I missed this off the list last year and I think it was my biggest downfall. If you have access to a camping roll mat to sleep on, use it. Although wearing layers is great, the cold will come from the floor.
"Bring a banana, you never know when you might get a little peckish."
Anybody interested in signing up or finding out more about the night of rough sleeping should visit the Burton YMCA website online at http://www.burtonymca.org/sleep-out/.
What does the YMCA do?
The YMCA is one of the country’s largest charities that helps to support and turn around the lives of those who become homeless.
On a national scale, they supply more than 9,100 beds for those who have fallen on bad times, and have found themselves on the streets, without a home.
The charity says it firmly believes that every young person should have a safe place to stay and actively look to educate and support those who are in danger of getting in trouble.
Not only does the charity attempt to keep young people off the streets, it also tries to give as much help and guidance as possible to educate those they come across.
The YMCA has been credited as the largest voluntary sector provider of services in England and Wales which promotes health and wellbeing services.
It provides more than 270 health and wellbeing facilities, ranging from gyms and swimming polls to community halls and outdoor activity centres.
According to the charity, it supports more than 230,000 children and parents each year across the country, by delivering a number of family services, including relationship services and nurseries.
