On Thursday 30th January 2020, the Railway Children hosted the second ‘Big Station Sleepout’, following on from last year’s successful event. Nine railway stations across the UK played host to the event, expanding from last year’s four locations, as all participants aimed to raise awareness and essential donations for the Railway Children.
Representatives from RSS Infrastructure Ltd were proud to be in attendance again. Matthew Cardiff, Technical Bid Manager and Jason Fidoe, Head of Track Warning Systems traded home comforts for a night in Birmingham New Street Station. The event saw many rail and non-rail companies bring along sleeping bags, pillows, warm clothes and most importantly their mobile phones, as Railway Children encouraged all participants to document their night and share their experience over social media.
Unfortunately, there are many children facing these conditions every night, and that is why events like this are crucial to raise vital funds that will get children off the street, finding them long-term care and security.
The Railway Children is a charity dedicated to seeking out vulnerable children living on the streets, offering them refuge, and the chance of a better life. Over the last 20 years the Railway Children have reached over 275,000 children across the UK, India and East Africa, but there are still millions of children in danger of abuse and exploitation, and so charities like the Railway Children are a lifeline.
According to the Railway Children charity, thousands of children across the UK, India and East Africa either run away, or are forced to leave their homes every year. Poverty, neglect, violence and abuse are just some of the circumstances many children face in their daily lives, and having nowhere else to turn to they end up alone on the streets.
The night was a huge success, the target set by the Railway Children Charity was to raise over £100K, on Friday 31st January, the accumulative total was added up and the total is over £150K. RSS Infrastructure have so far contributed over £1,000 and counting.
For more information or to donate, please visit: https://www.railwaychildren.org.uk/events/events/railway-children-sleepout/
