Supporting the Railway Children: An uncomfortable night sleep

Members from the rail recruitment team joined forces with people from across the rail industry to spend an uncomfortable night sleeping out at Manchester Piccadilly station in support of Railway Children.

The sleepout made a huge impact and through a mix of the railway team fundraising, Andy Reid sponsorships and donations from Morson Group CEO Ged Mason. Morson contributed £14,000 in donations which will contribute to changing children’s lives. A staggering £153k was raised on the night for the railway children charity. 

Our rail director Gary Smithson slept with some of his team and Andy Reid at Manchester Piccadilly railway station and spoke about why this cause is so important and why others should get involved. 

We take for granted that we are going home to a warm, safe environment. This experience, whilst only one night, did make you think more about how fortunate and lucky we are. We met several homeless people in the station, and we had snacks which we shared with others who needed it more. We can all do more and next year, I want us (Morson) to have many more people taking part in this. But I’m very grateful to my colleagues for taking part, well-done Jeff Marshall, Staci Hodson, Adam Jukes and Andy Reid.

The cause will raise awareness for and generate much-needed funds and it is also worth mentioning that the Railway Children help both in the UK and overseas. 

Gary highlighted the challenges young people and children face when sleeping out and how charity events like this can raise awareness to others and its importance. 

The noise around you and people walking past you are particularly challenging. The station itself essentially closes at 1:30 am but opens again at 4:30 am with trains coming into service, alongside all the cleaning and support staff. It is so uncomfortable and really makes you understand the struggles of homeless people.

It truly makes you understand how fortunate you are and how awful it must be to be in that position. Causes like these are so important in raising awareness for these struggles and I think it’s vital that we get as many people involved as possible. I have said I will do it again to one of the Railway sleepout ambassadors, Anna. One night is nothing compared to what young people and children are facing daily across the globe and we can all do our part with charity events like these to help raise awareness and funds instead of just talking about it.

Staci Hod & Adam Jukes both also slept in Manchester Piccadilly station and highlighted the challenges they faced. Both Adam and Staci spoke about the harsh realities children and young people face yearly across the world from sleeping on the streets. 

Most people are sleeping on yoga mats or sleeping mats and we slept in the Manchester Piccadilly train station foyer. There are limited areas you are actually allowed to shelter and sleep. You don’t realise until you’re there all the sounds and noise around you. With trains running from 4 am, people working and cleaning and the lights having to be kept on all night, it’s things you take for granted at home in a warm bed that really make it a struggle. I think in total we might have had around 3 hours of sleep. 

It really made me think about my own son and if he had to sleep even one night out on the streets. I personally felt really ill the day after through lack of sleep and the bitter cold and in the moment, I thought I couldn’t do it again. With this perspective of what young people and children go through when sleeping on the streets, I would encourage others to get involved, get talking and get raising money for such an important cause. 

The sleepout was attended by and supported by the leading figures in the rail industry, including TfL, HS2, Volker, Crossrail and more at 8 stations throughout the UK. 

Though events like these cannot truly replicate the situations faced by children sleeping on the streets, it raises awareness of the issues and difficulties they face. Together Gary, the Rail team and Andy were able to contribute to and make a difference to the lives of so many children.

It is not too late to make a donation if you would like to contribute to such an important charity. If you too would like to raise awareness for the cause, you can join up for the sleepoutshere.