Students and staff from Gordonstoun School spent 12 hours sleeping outside with only a cardboard bed and a sleeping bag for comfort, raising money and awareness to fight homelessness in the UK.
The Year 11 students had been studying homelessness and the impact that it has on those affected and their families.
Students who took part volunteered for the “sleep out” with open eyes. But still, many said they were surprised by how difficult it was to spend just one night outdoors.
To help further, Gordonstoun School students set up a Just Giving page and they have raised over £1,200 for the charity Shelter.
Promoting compassion and empathy
Richard Devey, Head of Senior School at Gordonstoun, was one of the participating staff members. He said the project, now in its third year, illustrates character traits that Gordonstoun hopes to instil in students.
“I feel it is a very powerful way to promote compassion and empathy which are important parts of the Gordonstoun ethos.”
Despite a cold and wet night, the school said that participants emerged tired but cheerful. One student said that they couldn’t help but feel embarrassed outside.
“For me, I felt a loss of dignity and respect. We are in a rural part of the country but I can imagine in a busy city with lots of people passing it must be even more degrading.”
One hard night, on repeat
Another said that the weather very quickly became their worst enemy.
“I was amazed just how cold I got, I couldn’t do anything to warm up. My cardboard bed soaked up the rain and there was no protection.
“I only did it for one night and it makes me think of those people doing it for weeks, months or even years.”
Trying to imagine sleeping outdoors night after night – and the toll it would take physically and mentally – was a theme for many students.
“It was so hard to sleep with the outside lights and strange noises all around me,” another said.
“I could hear all sorts of noises and it was hard to block them out. I can’t imagine having to live like that every night.”
You can still contribute to the Gordonstoun School’s Shelter fundraiser online. Students have raised £1,242 so far, blowing past their £500 target.
Shelter is a charity that works to support people at risk and living in homelessness.
Read more from the Schools and Family team
Home-Start Aberdeen can help 65 more local families thanks to lottery grant
Conversation