15/03/2026
The Great Tommy Sleep out, to support homeless veterans around the uk, unfortunately there are almost 4000 ex service personnel homeless. This charity helps to support them, being an ex Veteran myself I felt a need to help. Two weeks ago I got my sponsor pack and set a target of £200 , good friends and family and several of the groups that I belong did me proud, I have managed to collect over £500 for their cause. Unexpected life changes is something that can happen to all of us, and homelessness is a real issue.
So sleeping rough for one night in March gives a small glimpse into the issues, fears and reality that these people take on every day, so armed with a flask of soup, some cardboard boxes and a sleeping bag, steve a fellow veteran and myself set out to find a comfortable doorway on Teignmouth high street, now we are lucky this is a quiet seaside town, no real violence threat. But it’s not until your lying on the cold floor in a sleeping bag level with the feet of passers by you realise just how vulnerable you have become
There were evening revellers moving about to well gone 3 am, youth riding an electric motorbike up and down shouting, people throwing up their drink in an ally way opposite us, and peeing on the wheelie bins, eventually at 4:30 I was able to get to sleep, my colleague Steve was snoring like a diesel train, across the road a lady of around 45 years was asleep in a sleeping bag by her self, she has been homeless on and off for six months, her barking cough every so often and shuffle of makeshift bed told me she was ok, we had given her food and hot tea a few hours before but bless her she was doing this for real. Waking up stiff and cold every morning, waiting for Costa to open at six to get a hot drink.
We had not gone out with money or cards for fear of being robbed. But was able to find £7.30 in the van, her benefits had run out before the end of the month. And when you have to rely on buying fast food, a cup of tea at over£3 it doesn’t last long.
Waking at 5:30 to the seagull chorus in full swing was an unwelcome alarm clock, living two miles out of town, I had never heard this before. Slowly 8 am came around, we bundled our sleeping bags and cardboard into the van and bid our fellow sleeper a goodbye and good luck, hoping the council can find her a place in the upcoming weeks.
Having had three heart attacks and undergoing cancer treatment along with other conditions, I had been advised that really it was not a sensible thing to do, but my resilience and determination made me want to do it, for the cause, and I am glad I did, tonight I look forward to my 10 inch deep memory foam mattress with a electric blanket. But will be thinking of those less fortunate, hoping to stay dry and warm for other night.
