Ardenglen signs up for Sleep in the Park
Five members of Ardenglen staff to sleep out to tackle homelessness.
A team from Ardenglen Housing Association has signed up to Sleep in the Park.
Five members of staff will be sleeping under the stars at Kelvingrove Park on December 8 for the much-anticipated event aimed at defeating homelessness.
The philanthropist John Watson OBE, who is helping to fund the Glasgow event through the Watson Foundation, praised the involvement of the housing association, saying:
“I applaud the participation of the Ardenglen team. We know all too well of the inspiring work this housing association does in Castlemilk.
“The housing association movement of which Ardenglen is a key part does the most amazing work across Scotland not just in building homes but revitalising communities. So it is entirely appropriate that Ardenglen should be involved in the fight to end homelessness forever and we thank the housing association for its participation.”
The five members who are taking part are Audrey Simpson, Diane Hendry, Leanne McGowan, Kerri Downie and Allana Hammell.
Thousands are expected to take part in the huge gatherings, also being held in Dundee, Aberdeen and Edinburgh. Josh Littlejohn MBE, co-founder of Social Bite – the organisation behind the event - has agreed to meet the Ardenglen staff on the night.
Last year 8,000 people joined the world’s largest sleep out in Princes St Gardens and raised £4 million. It caused a sea change in the fight against homelessness and funded a raft of major projects. Now the organisers want to keep up the momentum and have asked 12,000 people across 4 cities to join them in this year’s nationwide sleep out.
The organisers said: “By raising money and working together we can accelerate the pace of change in Scotland and create the political mandate to end homelessness here.”
Ardenglen Chief Executive Audrey Simpson said: “We are proud to be doing our bit. Sleep in the Park has electrified the debate on homelessness and engaged people across the country to come together and end it for good.”
The Ardenglen team will be taking with them a banner specially produced by Ardenglen’s Sew Fabulous group, which offers the opportunity to learn new skills through the manufacture of textile goods from reclaimed fabrics.
Pictured: Ready for a sleep out – some members of the Ardenglen team with their Sleep in the Park banner.