Staff Take On Epic Challenge to Support Charity of the Year

Aimie Clarke and Julie Savage, from our Access to HE team, tested their endurance in an all-night sleepout at our Stevenage campus, during one of the coldest months of March, with just cardboard boxes to keep them warm. The Access team have been doing the sleepout for over a decade, with the idea originally being inspired by some students who had experienced homelessness themselves.

Julie said: “The original students who inspired us to sleep out the first time even gave us tips of how to keep warm in cardboard boxes.  This year’s charity of the year fits in well with the interest of our students as we have students learning health and social care.”

“One of the toughest parts of the challenge was when cars pulled up close by in the middle of the night; we felt really vulnerable even though we were safe in the campus garden, it made us really understand what It must be like for people who are in this position and having to live like this all the time. It was painful and a real hard slog, it takes stamina, and we didn’t enjoy it. Being outside for the 12 hours was laborious – how slow does every minute go?”

Aimie added: “It was really hard – it was cold, and we didn’t sleep. Over the years, different members of staff have participated in the challenge in a group but this year, being only two females, we felt especially vulnerable. It was quite different from the previous challenges.”

“For me the best part of the challenge was seeing our Head of Facilities, Steve Francis, arrive to open up the campus at 6 am!”

Aimie and Julie have so far raised more than £1300 and have doubled their goal since starting the fundraising. Supporters were donating overnight, which gave them the motivation they needed to keep going. Aimie told us: “We have been blown away by the support this year from staff and students at college, Supported Studies students collected boxes for us and some Health and Social Care students brought in sleeping bags for us to use, though we didn’t use them, as they aren’t allowed for this challenge!”

“We have doubled our target and still have people sponsoring us now, so we are on the way to tripling our original goal.  People have been really generous and supportive.”