WE DID IT! Over 30 of us SLEPT OUTSIDE  for the night of Saturday 12th July, to raise money for the Wimbledon Guild and for the Merton Homelessness project. A few of us wimpier ones had tents, but the majority slept on bits of cardboard etc. It was cold, but it didn't rain, and we had great support from our entertainers, Andy 'Ging Gang Gooly' Hamilton, Chief Scout Peter Duncan (whose disgracefully poor grasp of campfire songs came as a bit of a shock), and the extraordinary Fifi Forget-me-not. Seeing Andy and Peter trying to interview a mute costume character was well worth a night in a car park.
A huge THANK YOU to everyone who has already donated. To those who meant to and lost the link - IT'S NOT TOO LATE!
In case you've never heard of the Wimbledon Guild, or assume it's some sort of ladies' crochet circle or competitive jam-making society... The Guild started in 1907 as the equivalent of the social services, and it has changed with the times to complement the things the modern social services do. Most of the activities help the elderly in the area to lead a fuller life; but there's also a flourishing counselling service for people of all ages and backgrounds; a lage-scale recycling scheme, finding good homes for things like fridges and sofas; and a programme of small grants, offered to people in immediate need. A recent example was a gentleman whose carer called the police to break down his door when he didn't respond. They came, he was OK , but he needed a new door in a hurry - and those are the times when the Guild can step in. Our sleep-out is raising money to keep all these services going.

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