Woman, 85, to sleep rough to raise awareness

An 85-year-old woman is among those planning to sleep rough to raise awareness about the struggles homeless people face.

The event is due to take place at St Giles' Church, in Cambridge, on Saturday, with funds going to It Takes A City.

It was organised by the Cambridge Convoy Refugee Action Group, whose members wanted to highlight the plight of rough sleepers both at home and abroad.

Organiser Catharine Walston said noise and light pollution would make it hard for participants to fall asleep.

"It very much brings home the relationship between homelessness locally and the plight of people camped out in Calais and Dunkirk," Walston said.

"As a homeless person you will be very marginalised, people will not treat you very well and you will suffer from poor mental and physical health."

Ms Walston said the oldest person taking part in the challenge, which is in its seventh year, was 85 years old.

It was planned on the same night another sleep out was due to take place on the streets of Wisbech, organised by charities Feed Fenland and Street Supplies.

Feed Fenland founder George Broughton said the region's homelessness issues were "going from bad to worse".

As of December 2024, there were 224 people homeless in the Fenland district - a 32% increase on the year before.

"It's been a really rough winter for rough sleepers locally," Mr Broughton said.

"I think it's important that local people and services start showing solidarity and change their perspective of homelessness."

Mr Broughton added the prospect of sleeping rough for the night was "nerve-wracking" but stressed he was joined by a "fantastic group of volunteers".

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