LEARNERS braved the cold to join the ‘Sleepover for a Cause‘ earlier this month.
This event, organised by the Personal Development Team, saw learners and staff giving up the luxury of their beds on Friday 8th March – swapping it for sleeping bags in tents on a night of single-digit temperatures.
This is a great way for young people to understand some of the realities that homeless young people face whilst also raising money and awareness for efforts by Depaul UK and Nightstop Greater Manchester to tackle the problem.
Learners enjoyed an evening of food and games in the Student Hub before hearing from guest speakers.
Visitors from Depaul UK explained the daily challenges of homelessness and why events like this can make a real difference.
Later, there was also a ‘drop-in’ from Cllr Arooj Shah, Oldham Council Leader, accompanied by fellow councillors Elaine Taylor (Chadderton Central) and Holly Harrison (Chadderton South) who congratulated learners before they all decamped to bed down in an array of tents across the Main Quad.
Ray Gibson, Student Enrichment Manager, said the event was “a great success”.
