As the annual Big Sleepout approaches, SARAH SINGLETON speaks to the youngest and the oldest participants about why they want to raise awareness of homelessness

FINDLAY Batten, aged six, and Sister Mary Mulkeen, 80, will be the youngest and oldest volunteers to sleep outside on a long, dark night in Swindon to raise money for the town’s homeless.

The Big Sleepout happens on the night of Friday, December 1, at the Immanuel United Reformed Church, in Upham Road. The annual event raises thousands of pounds to support rough sleepers and the vulnerably housed.

It gives volunteers a chance to experience what it is like to sleep rough – but with the safety and security of friends, and without the extreme exposure and vulnerability.

Young Findlay, a pupil at Brook Field primary school, will be taking part with his mother Jade Batten, a health visitor from West Swindon.

“He is aware of homelessness, and he watches the news with me,” she said.

“We have seen refugees at Calais, and he thinks it’s not fair children have to sleep rough.

“When we walk past people in the town who are homeless we say hello to them.

“I saw this event on Facebook and Fin wanted to take part. He is really excited about it. I think he expects it to be a bit like Beaver camp.”

They have just started collecting sponsorship but have already exceeded their target of £600.

“He wanted to collect £100 for each year of his life,” Jade said.

At the other end of the scale is Sister Mary Mulkeen, who reckons she has taken part in the event every winter for about 20 years.

Sr Mary, a member of the order of the Poor Servants Of The Mother of God, in Groundwell Road, said that although it was cold and uncomfortable sleeping out, for her it was only one night of the year.

“I do it year after year, in the same place,” she said. “I am very, very concerned about homelessness and concerned about the poor in general.

“I am part of a religious order and we work for the poor. Our Holy Father, the Pope, has spoken out about the poor, and November 19 is dedicated to the poor. He wishes us to speak about the poor, and wishes us to be concerned, as he is.”

Sr Mary used to work as a volunteer at the Breakfast Club in Swindon, for the homeless and she said people still recognised her in town from those times.

“People still come to me in the street and say they have never forgotten me, and tell me how they have got on. We are very good friends,” she said.

“Naturally sleeping outside is not as comfortable as sleeping in my own bed but the reward is to raise money for Threshold, and I have raised many hundreds of points over the years. The congregation at Holy Rood Church is very, very generous – they give and they give.”

Sr Mary said she had joined the Roman Catholic convent more than 60 years ago. The Poor Servants was established in the 19th century by Frances Margaret Taylor, the daughter of an Anglican clergyman, who was shocked by the poverty and squalor of London, and decided to work with the poor.

She visited the workhouses and learnt the story of the people who lived in them, and set up her own religious congregation dedicated to improving their lot.

The Big Sleepout gives people an opportunity to push their personal boundaries and set themselves a challenge, as well as to empathise and understand more about sleeping rough, from direct experience.

It is a sponsored event so everyone that takes part collects funds, which will be used to support the work of Threshold.

It is a key fundraiser for the charity and last year generated about £6000.

“People come with their own sleeping bags and wear appropriate clothing,” said fundraising co-ordinator Cai Larkins.

“We usually have a wooden palette to lift people off the ground, and some cardboard boxes.

“If it gets too cold there is access to the church. We have children doing this and obviously we don’t want anyone to get ill.

“We always try to include a bit of entertainment at the start – last year it was building your own bed out of cardboard boxes.”

She said Threshold staff members would be present to make sure everyone was okay.

“The majority of the homeless people I have spoken to think it is a good idea to open the eyes of people, to understand that it’s very hard sleeping out,” she said. “They are quite positive about it.”

Anyone over the age of 16 is welcome to participate – though the under-16s can join in if accompanied by an adult.

Threshold is a local, independent charity which provides emergency short, medium and long-term accommodation to single homeless people in Swindon.

Its roots go back to 1972 and it has developed six services to meet the needs of the homeless, including a street outreach service, a day centre, breakfast club and soup run, an emergency hostel, a young persons’ project with two adjoining houses, a women’s house and supported accommodation resettlement schemes.

Every year, Threshold helps more than 750 people with advice, support, advocacy or accommodation.

  • To support Threshold’s work by taking part in the Big Sleepout, register via the email adminthreshold@thl.org.uk with your name, email address and phone number.