School raises over £7k for homelessness charity

Equipped with only sleeping bags, foam mats and survival bags for protection, more than 70 Senior Years pupils and 10 staff slept outside at Mayfield in order to raise awareness of homelessness and addiction.

22 Junior Years pupils also slept outside in their gardens at home, with almost 40 Junior Years pupils also getting involved by spending at least an hour outside after dark.

Steps to Hope provides an on-street presence by distributing necessities to those in need, signposting people to support groups and providing a range of additional help and support services.

Richard Roncero, the charity’s founder and director, visited the group at Mayfield to the chat to the pupils and personally thank them for their efforts and support.

Richard was in Dundee to complete the final week of his '8 Weeks 8 Cities Sleep Rough Campaign' which has seen him raise more than £190,000 by sleeping on streets across the country.

Karlene Douglas, the School’s Charities and Community Outreach Co-ordinator, said, “We are so pleased to have been able to raise such a wonderful total for Steps to Hope.

"Taking part enabled the pupils and staff to reflect on the challenges faced by homeless people every night and it was very rewarding to be able to raise awareness of homelessness and funds to help tackle the problem."

Donations can still be made, at: https://www.justgiving.com/page/highschoolofdundeesleeproughfundraiser-1704971217269 

The event was featured in STV’s Evening News yesterday. You can see it (at 1m45s) at:  https://player.stv.tv/episode/4ju0/stv-news-national 
The video is available until 6.20pm on Monday 29th January.