University of Sunderland lecturers and former Armed Forces personnel spend night under the stars to help homeless veterans

Six lecturers from the University of Sunderland – including two ex-military personnel and an Army reservist – have swapped their warm beds for a cold floor and sleeping bags to raise vital funds for homeless veterans.

The group took part in the Great Tommy Sleep Out challenge, where participants sleep outside for one night during the month of March to raise money for the Royal British Legion Industries (RBLI).

RBLI, which is a separate charity to the Royal British Legion, provides a home to more than 300 veterans and their families through their Kent village as well as providing employment and welfare support.

In 2023, figures from the Department of Housing showed 2,110 households with someone who served in the Armed Forces were assessed as homeless - up from 1,850 for the previous year.

On Thursday (March 21) the lecturers, who are from the University's School of Nursing and Health Sciences, spent the night under the stars at the City Campus.

One participant was senior lecturer and and RAF veteran Ian Slaughter.

He said: “We felt that sleeping out for one night was a small sacrifice to make to help those veterans who face homelessness long term. We also recognise that those homeless veterans could be those we have served with at home and on deployment. 

“The night temperature was on the chilly side, but we are fortunate we can avoid the bitter cold nights that we all know Sunderland can have.”

Other participants in the sleep out were Catherine Peel, Julia Smith, Army reservist Terry McDermott-Moses, Giles Hallam and Royal Navy veteran Michael Collins.

The group have so far raised £2,109, smashing their original target of £150. You can donate to the cause via the group's JustGiving page.