Last month, students slept outside on a cold and wet winter night, to raise funds and spread awareness of homelessness in Bristol. The event was organised by Evan, VP Societies and Communication, and The Students’ Union RAG Team. Everyone taking part slept outside The Students’ Union on Frenchay Campus, with only a sleeping bag and a coat or two for shelter. The money raised was donated as part of 'The Big Give Christmas Challenge’ and every penny was matched pound-for-pound.

Evan, VP Societies and Communication, who took part in Sleepout commented "I can't imagine what it must be like for those who sleeping on the street is a regular occurrence. I'm so glad that we've managed to raise money for such a worthy charity - One25."

One25 is a Bristol-based charity that reaches out to women trapped in, or vulnerable to, street sex work. They support them to break free and build new lives away from violence, poverty and addiction.

A massive well done goes to everyone who took part and fundraised for Sleepout. We would especially like to thank those from the UWE Canoe Club, who were engaged and passionate from the start. This event also tied in with the UWE Bristol Grand Challenge, which this year is focusing on homelessness. The Grand Challenge is an initiative from UWE Bristol, which is designed to mobilise the energy, enthusiasm and intellectual capabilities of our students to make a difference to a real-world problem.

The coordinator on the Grand Challenge, Dr Hazel Brown, the Enhanced Year 2020 Projects Implementation Manager, commented:

"Congratulations to The Students’ Union on the success of its Sleep Out fundraising activity as part of The Students’ Union’s contribution to the UWE Bristol Grand Challenge 2019/20. It is inspiring to see UWE Bristol students actively engaging with the Grand Challenge’s ambition to make a difference to the real-world problem of homelessness and mobilising to support local city region charities working in the sector."

If you would like to get involved with an event like Sleepout, UWE RAG has a whole load of events lined up for 2020. For more information, click here.