On Friday 30 January, I joined others at Norwich Cathedral for the St Martins Sleep Out. It is an overnight fundraiser where participants swap their usual beds for the cold stone floor of the Cloister. From 7.30 pm until 6.30 am the next morning, we took part in a straightforward challenge to support St Martin’s and its work with people who are homeless in Norwich.
I took part because the night offers a small reminder of what it means to be without warmth or comfort. As the cold settles in and the hours pass, the difference between choosing to be there and having no choice becomes clear. Even that limited experience shows why St. Martin’s work matters.
The Sleep Out is not intended to copy the reality of rough sleeping. One night in a safe and enclosed space is very different from the danger and isolation faced by people who sleep outside again and again. Rough sleeping signals a point of crisis in a person’s life. The strain of that situation goes far beyond anything an organised event can reflect.
What the Sleep Out does achieve is drawing attention to these realities and raising funds that help St Martins reach people who need support. Taking part allowed me to contribute to that work and to support a charity that makes a practical difference in Norwich.