Hi, I'm Phulmaya, a 15 year-old from Dorset. On April the 11th I'll be spending a day and a night on the streets of Weymouth raising money for The Bus Shelter Dorset, a local charity that supports rough sleepers and helps them get their lives back on track.

I was inspired to get involved as part of my silver Duke of Edinburgh after seeing and hearing about the huge impact The Bus was having on people's lives. The Bus opened In January 2018 and since then my mum has been a regular volunteer. The charity has already managed to support 24 rough sleepers; some of them have lived on The Bus since the project started.

 Homelessness is a huge issue throughout the world, but we're seeing more and more of it on our doorsteps. Since 2010, the number of rough sleepers has almost tripled. People, just the same as us, spending their lives out on the streets, with nowhere else to go. Although there are temporary places for the homeless to rest and get food, there aren't many places that offer long term solutions. 

Even though it's only 24 hours, this is a chance for me to get a glimpse of what life is like on the streets, and raise awareness and funds for this lifechanging charity.

"The Bus Shelter Dorset is a Charity to end the need for anyone to sleep rough in Weymouth, Dorset. We believe that if people have their basic needs of sleep, food, water, warmth and safety met they will be able to work positively on achieving their goals and improving their future. Guests on the bus are supported with their life skills, benefits, health and housing by trained volunteers. We work alongside other agencies to encourage guests on the bus to move into suitable accommodation and to change their cycle of homelessness."