Westholme goes homeless initiative

This morning in our Year assembly, we have presented students with an exciting challenge, launching our ‘Westholme goes homeless 24.11.18’ initiative to Year 8 students. 

We have been inspired by the forthcoming Blackburn Rovers’ Community ‘Sleep Out for Blackburn’ event and have devised a similar experience for our students that we can supervise on our school site. 

The challenge is simple: for students to complete a ‘sponsored sleep out’ on Saturday 24th November from 7.00pm to 8.00am the next day, at Wilmar Lodge.  This is an opportunity which will give our students first hand understanding and awareness of what it means to be homeless, as well as raising money for two charities – ‘Nightsafe’ and ‘Invisible Cities’.  

The event will be ably assisted by the Sixth Form Charity Team in a bid to raise as much money as possible.   

This afternoon, Jay Ratcliffe and Hayley Bury, representatives from ‘Nightsafe ‘came to speak to all of Year 8 about the work they do in Blackburn, the issues surrounding homelessness and how the money raised from this venture can be used positively to support young people in the local area.

We are hoping to run it as a competition where students form teams (of 4 – 6) and each student organises hour by hour sponsorship.  We are asking each team to submit an application form to take part in the experience; forms will need to be submitted by Tuesday 13th November.

More details of the event will follow when we have received each team’s application, but we hope that you will support us in helping staff and students work together for a very worthy cause.