On Friday the 14th of June Milly, Lilly, Freya, Ivy, Charli and Georgie will be sleeping rough for the night to help to raise money for Feed Up Warm Up, a newly-formed charity that directly helps those in need sleeping on the streets of Hitchin and surrounding areas. This fund-raising effort will also form part of the girls' Year 8 challenge at middle school.

~ About The Challenge ~

We'll be giving them a hot meal in the early evening and then sending them outside to the woods at Boyd Campsite in Henlow with just a survival bag (for a little damp-proofing) and a sleeping bag in which to spend the night. They will need to find themselves somewhere to bed down and make themselves as comfortable as they can for what could be a very cold or restless night depending on what the weather brings! While the girls are aware that they could be letting themselves in for one very unpleasant night they are also keen to be able to help those for whom this is a daily routine and we hope that you'll support them in their efforts.

~ About Feed Up Warm Up ~

Shane Cole runs his own mobile street food business from Baldock and, having spent time on the streets himself, wanted to do something to directly help those sleeping on the streets of Hitchin as last winter drew in. Initially intended to run on Wednesday evenings until February 2019, support for the initiative quickly snowballed as helpers and donors have piled in and Shane has risen to the challenge, dedicating himself tirelessly to the task ever since. Feed Up Warm Up now provides a drop-in every Wednesday in Hitchin providing hot meals, sleeping bags, food supplies, clothing, haircuts, counselling, foot care and countless other services to all those in need and will continue indefinitely. They have also opened a weekly drop-in in Stevenage providing the same and have outreach teams in both towns that go onto the streets there and beyond to find those in need and provide support directly. The whole project is a testament to one man's spirit and compassion that has inspired a community to get involved and the girls hope that their efforts can help to deliver vital support to those in need.

Shane and the volunteers are currently raising funds to purchase a welfare van for their outreach work. Their aim is to provide showers, food, drink and drug support, alcohol abuse and mental health support, toilets , clothing and toiletries directly to those sleeping on the streets from this specially adapted vehicle. We hope that you will help us to help them continue their work.

~ Why Crowdfunding? ~

Feed Up Warm Up is not yet a registered charity, they are working on it but it does take a while, and so cannot set themselves up for fundraising on JustGiving or claim Gift Aid. The funds are being collected by Mathew Jones, Milly's dad, and 100% of the funds raised with be donated straight to Feed Up Warm Up.