In December 2017 I took part in Social Bite's 'Sleep in the Park', a charity event to raise awareness to the harsh reality that thousands of homeless people live every day.

I spent a night in Prince's St Gardens with nothing but a sleeping bag and 42 of my primary school pupils.

With temperatures reaching -6, it was easily the worst night of my life so far. 

Once I had got home, showered and changed into clean, dry clothes, the last thing I could imagine doing was sleeping rough again that night, the night after that, and for the foreseeable future.

It was an incredibly sobering experience.

So sobering in fact, that I have decided to go sober for a full calendar year to raise money for this incredible cause. 

I want to challenge myself to change my own habits and hopefully play a small part in changing the circumstances and prospects of homeless people in my own country.

Social Bite is aiming to raise money and awareness in order to eradicate homelessness in Scotland over the next 5 years through housing, rehabilitation, job opportunities and the support they need to get back on their feet.

We want to make Scotland an example for the whole world to follow. We’re a small country. A nation of innovators. The statistics of homelessness in Scotland are not insurmountable.

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