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City bosses and celebrities are sleeping on the streets to raise money for a homeless charity.
Managers from a host of City firms, including Standard Chartered Bank, King Sturge and Drivers Jonas, are among 500 people who have signed up for the Sleep Out event.
They will spend a night in sleeping bags on cardboard boxes at Old Spitalfields Market to experience what it is like for those who sleep rough.
Everyone taking part in next month's Sleep Out is expected to raise at least £500, which will go towards homeless charity Centrepoint's £250,000 Christmas budget. The organisation, which is celebrating its 40th birthday, houses and supports 830 homeless people between the ages of 16 and 25 every night. It offers counselling, education advice and help to get a job.
Supporters of the campaign include Desert Island Discs presenter Kirsty Young, Loose Women host Lisa Maxwell and Radio One DJ Sara Cox.
Another Sleep Out volunteer is former ITN journalist Ed Mitchell, who until two years ago, was an alcoholic sleeping rough in Brighton.
He had struggled to find work after becoming a heavy drinker and losing his job in 2000.
The 56-year-old said: "Two years ago I was on the seafront in Hove, severely dependent on alcohol, with nowhere to go and a very bleak future. But I was extremely lucky and I was given a lifeline and have now managed to build my life again.
"I support Centrepoint because it provides hope and a future to homeless young people."
Centrepoint chief executive Seyi Obakin said: "We hope Sleep Out will not only raise awareness of youth homelessness but provide vital funds to give more homeless young people a safe place to sleep, where they can start to build a brighter future."
Sleep Out, supported by the Evening Standard, takes place on 12 November.
Reader views (5)
Not a cynical ploy by the bankers to redeem their image at all then?
- Frank, Home Counties, England.
I've absolutely no sympathy for the homeless.They all have a dark past and would sooner cut your throat for a can of lager than exchange pleasantries.
- Eddie, London
Let me guess Eddie. You're probably on a high salary, nice house, nice family, and think you're so much better than everyone else. Hopefully you'll not lose your job, house, family connections etc, for whatever reason. But if you do, will you become a violent, knife-weilding alcoholic? It's people with disgusting, blinkered, ignorant attitudes like yours who are so up themselves who need to take off their rose-tinted specs and wake up to the real world.
- Nowan King, London
I've been supporting Centrepoint for 5 years they do a great job.
- Dave Griffin, Guildford
I've absolutely no sympathy for the homeless.They all have a dark past and would sooner cut your throat for a can of lager than exchange pleasantries.
- Eddie, London
I wonder if they will be powerhosed at 4am like real homeless people in the city?
- Chris, London
