Hi, my name is Charlie and I am a student here in Manchester at the Univsersity of Salford - thanks for checking out my fundraising page! I am trying to raise some money together for an event (by throwing myself from a large height and springing back up again) that could in return give a priceless benefit to someone's life and standard of living who has become used to so little in comparison to the majority of us. For the past 5 or 6 years I have began to find it harder and harder to walk through the streets of our biggest cities seeing the streets lined with those who merely survive. Filled with uncertainty, fear and often no companionship these people are just like you and I.

Homelessness is an ever increasing issue as councils and the government continue to let the numbers grow and grow while the poor souls who freeze and starve out on the streets have become reliant on the good will of the community around them. Far too easily do people walk past without even acknowledging the many forgotten members of our society who's lives are a struggle everyday and night. It seems absurd to me that we could become so detached as to be able to ignore the problem ourselves, just as our governments and councils continue to do. As more and more offices and luxury apartments are built in Manchester and the surrounding areas such as Salford, less and less affordable housing is built and renting the existing social housing is becoming only harder and more unstable. To eradicate this problem substantial and gradual changes need to occur within the mindset of the members of our society so that homeless people are not seen as lost, unsaveable, or "bums" and instead are helped back on their feet through a series of intuitive and progressive rehabilitation programs to bring stability and safety back into their lives once again.

In the meantime, I need your help to get things rolling! Just off of Piccadilly Gardens in the centre of the city there is a great space for hire at the Britannia Sachas Hotel (often used for vintage clothes fair and food festivals). This is the place I plan to hold a mighty get together. With your help we will for one night be abe to rent out the venue to provide food, clothes, hot drinks, warm sleeping items and other essentials we take for granted. As well as this we will attempt to create a friendly and welcoming atmosphere, encouraging any who attend to stick around, get to know each other and those who are in a very similar, solitary situation. Board games, cards, and books will fill the room to keep our guests happy as well as the finest Mancunian music.

The event will last for 3 hours from 6 till 9pm on Monday the 29th of January and will hopefully be the start of many similar events if all of us who care about this issue unite our efforts. If you or any of your friends would like to contribute to any of the above whether it be the cost of the venue hire, the food to be eaten, the clothes to be donated, sleeping bags, or just to help out I and so many others would greatly appreciate it. Spread the word and I look forward to hearing from you and the big night!

Any money raised over the required target will be spent on increasing the amount of donatable items, and also put aside to hopefully host many more similar events in the future.

Charlie :)