‘Feel Good’ Fundraising: Chilly camp-out

In our ‘Feel Good Fundraising’ series, Bamboo’s digital marketing apprentice, Georgie, follows up on the stories of inspirational volunteer fundraisers, asking them the questions no one’s thought to ask.

Over to Georgie.

According to research by Shelter, 271,000 people are living rough on the streets of the UK.

Without fundraisers like Jackie Little, the number would be a lot higher.

Jackie took it upon herself to organise a sleep-out to raise funds for First Housing Aid & Support Services.

I was intrigued to find out how it went, so contacted her to ask some questions.

Why did you choose this cause?

I was heartbroken by the stories I read about the homeless. Following the death of a young 15-year-old girl in Dublin, I felt compelled to do something.

How did people keep warm?

We huddled together. We all brought sleeping bags and put disposable heat pads in our socks in the early hours of the morning, due to it being -4. One man managed an hour or two of sleep, but the rest of us didn’t get any. It was too cold.

Where did the sleep-out take place?

In the City of Derry, outside Guild Hall. We had a good response from the public. Everyone was friendly and supportive.

We spent time with the homeless, which was heart-wrenching, but we were able to provide them with emergency kits, fresh blankets, and food, which felt good.

How did you feel about the experience?

It was eye-opening. It made me realise how blessed I am to be living in comfort, and how much I take for granted.

The event was a great success. There was lots of interest and many generous donations were made during the night.

I wouldn’t do it again, but I’d help in another way. Maybe a skydive or bungee jump.

Want to support Jackie? You can still contribute to her GoFundMe page.

Looking for a community fundraiser to inspire volunteers like Jackie to support your cause? We can help. Drop us a line at info@amboofundraising.co.uk to get started.