Pupils brave the cold for Birmingham’s homeless communities

Pupils braved icy conditions as they took part in the ‘Big Brum Sleepout’ to raise funds for homeless young people.

More than 10 pupils and staff braved sub-zero temperatures as they bedded down in cardboard boxes for the night in the grounds of Birmingham Cathedral.

The sleep-out was held on behalf of local charity, St Basil’s, who help young people to find and keep a home, grow their confidence and prevent homelessness.

Teachers say that the pupils who took part were keen to make a difference when they saw how difficult life can be for homeless people in Birmingham.

Mohammed Miah, Head of Year at Eden Boys’ School, Birmingham, said:

“The boys were really passionate about the cause and were very keen to take part. It was just heart-warming to see our pupils show so much interest in helping the homeless. They wanted to understand what life is like for homeless people in our community and they were able to show real empathy for their plight. As a school, we are committed to educating our pupils about the importance of making a positive contribution to society and making our local community a better place to live.”

The sleep-out is just one part of the school’s wider annual charitable drive, the Festive Winter Gift Programme, which takes place across all 28 schools that are part of the multi-academy trust, Star Academies.

As part of the programme, children at the school have also donated gifts and provided a Christmas lunch for elderly people in their locality, raised funds for Birmingham Children’s Hospital and collected food donations for the Aston and Nechells Food Bank.

Mufti Hamid Patel CBE, Chief Executive of Star Academies, said:

“At Star Academies, we are committed to nurturing our pupils to develop a genuine desire to support those less fortunate than themselves. The festive season is one of the times in our school calendar when we step up our efforts to offer a helping hand to those in need. Once again this year, it is extremely heartening to see our pupils, parents and staff embrace our Winter Gift Programme by reaching out into their communities to put smiles on the faces of the most vulnerable.”

Added By: Star Academies | Date Added: 18th Dec 2019 | Posted In: Latest News