On 9 October I'm sleeping outside at Turf Moor for the Turf Sleepout, raising money for Burnley FC in the Community

A few years ago in Manchester I stood in front of a wall of cardboard.

An artist had asked homeless people how they ended up on the street and written their answers out on the flattened boxes they slept on. Not one story read like it was a decision - they all went through a spiral of events.

A job goes and then a relationship and a spare room and then yet another friend stops answering and then even family don't listen anymore... and at some point there is nobody left to turn to.

That is the bit that stayed with me. Nobody plans to end up homeless. They just run out of people.

The kit list they've sent us says to bring cardboard and a sleeping bag.

On the night, I'll have people around. There will be toilets. There'll be first aiders and security staff on site all night. A hot sandwich and a coffee in the morning and a warm shower waiting at home.

It's not proper rough sleeping and I won't pretend otherwise. It's one uncomfortable night that gets us to think about something we would usually walk past, and gets some money to the teams dealing with the real version and helping them stop more people falling through the net.

I've been lucky enough to sit in on some of the BFC in the Community charity groups as a guest.

One is a weekly social session for older and more vulnerable people. Familiar faces, tea, a lot of talking. Some of the people in that room might not speak to another person all week without it.

It costs very little to keep a room like that open, and I can't think of much that does more to stop the sequence I read on that cardboard from ever starting.

Your donation supports more than 50 projects in our area

From the foodbank that supported over 18,000 people last year to veterans' groups, disability sport and free opportunities for local kids, and everything in between. More than 32,000 people a year are helped by by the charity.

It's also my birthday weekend. Ten-year-old me would have been made up at the idea of a sleepover at Turf Moor. Grown-up me is watching the forecast. So please don't buy me a pint or a present. Put it here instead.

Anything at all is appreciated, and Gift Aid it if you can.

Thanks x