Grand Central staff bed down outdoors for Centrepoint

Grand Central staff wrapped themselves up and headed into the chilly November night last month in aid of youth homelessness charity Centrepoint, raising more than £1800 in the process.

Colleagues from Grand Central – which provides direct rail connections from towns and cities in Yorkshire and the North East with London – took part in the charity’s Sleep Out at Bradford City Stadium on Thursday 21 November.

Centrepoint has been holding sleepovers for the last decade in order to highlight the challenges faced by those forced to sleep rough. As much as 103,000 young people experience homelessness every year and the effects can be devastating.

Centrepoint’s Sleep Outs raise money to help change this story for thousands of homeless 16-25 year olds. Grand Central has been supporting the charity for the last four years, providing rail travel support and sponsorship to help give homeless young people a better future.

“Even just spending one night in the bitter November cold is a real eye-opening experience,” says Grand Central’s chief operating officer Sean English, who joined seven of his colleagues on the Sleep Out[GC3] , “Homelessness, especially youth homelessness, is something very close to my heart and we wanted to do all we could to help youngsters for whom just an extra bit of support could make all the difference.”

“It wasn’t the most comfortable night I’ve ever spent but[GC4]  it gave me a real insight into what others are facing every night and so was certainly the most meaningful,” says first-timer Hannah Bromage, Grand Central’s community engagement manager.

Picture caption:

• Grand Central staff attending the event in Bradford.