Homelessness could be closer than we like to think

Walk through the city centre and the effects of homelessness are all too obvious. The dirty sleeping bag shoved up in a doorway or alcove, with its owner doing their best to keep warm while most people hustle past, trying not to make eye contact.

And sleeping on the streets is not the only definition of ‘homeless’, there are those who sofa surf, relying on the kindness of friends or family, but unable to find or afford a place of their own. However, by being off of the streets, they are less visible.

There is a myriad of reason behind homelessness – far too complex and too many to go into here. But what we can say is that few would choose this life and the circumstances behind their current predicament may not be of their own making.

These poor souls are a reminder for many of us that there by the grace of god, it could be us. Particularly after the events of the last few years where many jobs have become increasingly precarious and the cost of, well, pretty much everything has risen faster than it has in decades, while salaries have largely failed to keep ace.

Some are only one or two lost pay cheques away from being homeless themselves.

It would therefore be easy to mock the CEO Sleepout. The people taking part are, by definition, less likely than most to ever know the real sting of wondering where you will next sleep and how you will keep warm on the bitterest of January nights.

And yes, they will get to go home again when it is done.

But this is not some cheap holiday in other people’s misery or a fun jolly for those taking part. It is a real attempt to raise awareness, and of course, money for a number of local frontline charities here, in our city – Portsmouth.

They are at least putting themselves out there and doing something for those less fortunate.