Story
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Vides link:</span></span></strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><a title="Click here to see the videos" href="http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=2C496B557A0F8FE6" target="_self"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Click here to see the videos</span></span></strong></a></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></strong>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">UPDATE: THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR GENEROUS DONATIONS - WE HAVE REACHED THE FIRST TARGET OF £500</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">IF WE REACH £1,000 BY 8AM ON SUNDAY 20 MARCH </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><strong><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">I WILL RUN THE HASTINGS HALF MARATHON IN MY SLEEPING BAG!</span></span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">I completed the Hastings Half Marathon in my sleeping bag today in 2 hours 5 minutes.</span></span></strong></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">I will be sleeping rough for a week in and around Hastings to raise money for the Seaview Project. I will spend four nights with nothing but the clothes on my back and a sleeping bag sleeping on a park bench, on the beach, in a graveyard and in the town centre.</span></span></strong></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">There are people in Hastings who spend endless nights sleeping on the streets at all times of the year. Since 1996 Seaview has been providing a dedicated housing team to help those in housing need to get a home, and to keep that home. </span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.seaviewproject.co.uk">www.seaviewproject.co.uk</a></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">So please dig deep and give as much or as little as you can to this fantastic cause.</span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">I will upload photos and videos to this page daily so keep checking back to see how I'm getting on. </span></span></strong></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hastings Lions Club have kindly offered to receive the donations made through this website as the Seaview Project could not be registered in the very short period of time that was available. The donations will be passed on to the Seaview Project at the end of the collection period.</span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Day One - The Graveyard</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">I spent the first night in the graveyard at All Saints church in Hastings Old Town. I found a nice sheltered spot to put my bag down and felt rather cosy at about 10pm. By 3am however it was absolutely freezing. I shivered away and in and out of sleep until about 6:45am when I got up, packed up my bag and headed into town. Feeling quite tired now so hopefully I will find a warmer spot tonight and get a decent night sleep. My main concern is staying away from people, I suddenly feel very vulnerable whilst wrapped up in a sleeping bag and lying on the floor half asleep.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Day Two- The Town Centre</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">I spent Tuesday night in the RX53 fishing boat moored outside Hastings railway station. It was much warmer than the previous night although the wooden flooring was far less comfortable. The level of activity in the area kept me up until nearly 3am so I ended up with less sleep than the previous night - just 3 hours!! The wind is back with a vengance tonight so I am not looking forward to my night on the beach :(</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Day Three - The Beach</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">I spent Wednesday night down on the beach tucked up against the prom and I have to say it was my best sleep yet. A combination of factors... the shelter from wind, the peaceful location and my extreme tiredness... all helped to ensure a long and restfull nights sleep. I even had a 'lie in' as I dragged myself from the sleeping bag at 8am!</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">One night to go...</p>
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<p><em>'On behalf of centre users and staff at Seaview Project, I would like to say a huge thank you for your determination and tenacity in completing a cold and uncomfortable challenge. Sleeping rough in March was never going to be easy. We've been touched and encouraged by your commitment to raise the profile of homelessness in our area and to raise the profile of the work we do at Seaview. James is not to be forgotten also, for the fantastic footage that brought the experience alive, we've been captivated watching the story unfold. Thank you for giving up your time, personal comforts and for helping to make a difference. Dave you're one of a kind and we wish you all the best in the future.</em></p>
<p><em>Sue Burgess</em></p>
<p><em>Services Manager, Seaview Project'</em></p>