Sir, – A group of young people choosing to spend their Christmas holidays fundraising for worthy causes should be commended and not criticised, regardless of whether their school is fee-paying ("Is a school sleepout the best way to raise awareness of homelessness?", Opinion, December 23rd).
Rosita Boland would be better served joining the students during the Belvedere College sleepout to shake a bucket than attempting to detract from the efforts of a charitable cause that has raised hundreds of thousands of euro during its 31 years. – Yours, etc,
Dr STEVEN MALONEY,
Rathmines,
Dublin 6.
Sir, – Rosita Boland’s article on the students from Dublin’s Belvedere College who hold an annual city centre sleepout to highlight homelessness and raise funds for the Peter McVerry Trust and other homeless charities brought back some memories.
I was lucky enough to be a part of the St Vincent de Paul (SVP) Society when I was a student in University College Dublin. UCD’s SVP Society is one of the most active and charitable groups I know, with the most passionate and selfless members. As part of UCD SVP, I participated in a sleepout held on campus outside the library. An amazing amount of people participated in this event for its first two years when I attended, and I believe that, not unlike the annual Belvedere College sleepout, it has grown year upon year.
Early in the evening, there was a party atmosphere. Groups of society members and their many friends recruited to take part were sitting around listening to music and chatting. One evening, there was a film screened at the sleepout area. While this entertainment made the experience in the evening more enjoyable, that was not its aim. The society was trying to entice as many students to take part in the sleepout in order to raise funds and awareness for those who live this experience day to day.
When night fell, however, the atmosphere changed. We, like the Belvedere students, had brought our own sleeping bags, mats and plenty of warm clothing. Despite our “comforts”, my night sleeping out was far from comfortable. The cold crept into your bones from the bitter concrete on which we lay. Though we were sheltered somewhat from the covered concourse under which we tried to sleep, the November wind still found its way into a sleeping bag. Constant foot traffic, even in the dead of night from students making their way home from nights out, made it impossible to catch some sleep. The whole experience made us realise that hardship, for some people, is life.
The UCD SVP sleepout has become an annual event, and includes buskers, clothing drives and fundraising. It has been successful in raising money, awareness and items such as food and clothing. It is run in conjunction with a number of other one-off or regular activities conducted by the society, such as soup-runs in the inner city, homework clubs for disadvantaged children and fundraising events at major holidays throughout the year such as Hallowe’en or St Valentine’s Day.
While the sleepout is the most high-profile event of the year, as no student can ignore hundreds of their peers sleeping outside the library on the main walkway through campus, the UCD SVP society never stops its tireless work for those in need. – Yours, etc,
SARAH DOHERTY,
Letterkenny,
Co Donegal.