An East Lancashire charity group has spent the night sleeping on the streets of Hyndburn to experience what it feels like for rough sleepers.
The Hyndburn Helpers, who are based at St James Church in Accrington, took part in the sponsored ‘sleep out’ on Tuesday evening (19 October).
They managed to raise £500 for the sponsored event, which was delayed for years due to illness and the pandemic.
With only a sleeping bag at hand, six volunteers headed to a doorway in Accrington town centre and spent the night in a shop doorway from 11pm until 6am.
Lisa Hilton, co-founder of Hyndburn Helpers, was one volunteer who spent a night on the streets.
The Accrington woman said it was an “eye-opening” experience.
The group were “serenaded by a drunk guy for two hours” and also had to try and sleep through the torrential rain at 4am.
Ms Hilton explained: “Some [volunteers] got some sleep but some of us didn’t – I didn’t get any at all.
She added: “It was quite daunting actually. You hear the stories of what the homeless go through.
“Even though the town centre is closed in the early hours of the morning there is still quite a lot of traffic going past which automatically heightens your senses.”
Although she felt safer knowing there were male volunteers with her, Lisa insisted that you couldn’t help but feel nervous while on the streets.
Referring to the passers-by, she said: “You think ‘are they going to say anything? Will I be threatened?’”
Lisa also explained that she experienced a very “different type of hunger” while on the streets.
She explained: “Because everywhere was closed and I was hungry I knew there wasn’t anywhere to get any food.
“It was a different kind of hunger but when you’re outside on the streets you don’t have that and it intensified my hunger."
According to Lisa, one unexpected challenge that arose from sleeping rough was using the toilet.
Lisa explained: “It was difficult finding and using an open bathroom.
“There were cameras everywhere and it was hard finding somewhere to have some privacy – I think that was the hardest.”
According to Lisa, the experience has given her a slightly better understanding of what rough sleepers have to endure.
She said: “I thought I had a good understanding of what the homeless go through after helping them for so long.
“Now after having done it myself, it just gives me a better understanding of what they go through – and that’s just a snippet of it as some homeless people are on their own.”
You can find out more about The Hyndburn Helpers and donate to them via their Facebook page.
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