Chillseekers: Crowds gather for big sleep out in the park
THOUSANDS of people sleeping under the stars in Glasgow’s Kelvingrove Park tonight will wake up to chilly temperatures of 1C on Sunday.
The Sleep in the Park event, hosted by the charity Social Bite, is this year held in four cities simultaneously to raise cash and end homelessness.
Participants begin the night with positively balmy temperatures of 8C, by Sunday morning the mercury in Glasgow will plummet to 1C.
This contrasts with last year’s temperatures where sleepers faced a perishing -6C.
Those involved in the sleepout will be given a waterproof mat sleeping bag, and experience what it is like to sleep rough.
Josh Littlejohn MBE, founder of Social Bite, is calling on the people of Glasgow to support the event even if they are not participating.
He said: “We set up this big event in December last year and it was based on the premise that there was no reason why Scotland couldn’t eradicate homelessness.
“No one should have to be homeless here.
“Last year’s event raised £4million which is now being invested in all of our programmes. We hope it will help bring 830 people off the streets when they reach fruition.
“We decided to try and keep the momentum going and spread it geographically and put on four events in one night, hopefully people from across the cities will take part.
“I’m looking forward to the music and it’s going to fun getting all the acts around the cities.
A total of 10,000 sleepers are registered for the fundraising events in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen.
Organisers hope this year’s event will break through 2017’s total.;
Gates at Kelvingrove Bandstand open at 5pm and the event starts at 6pm with host Vic Galloway introducing Stina Tweedale of Honeyblood, Hollie McNish, Kathryn Joseph and the Twilight Sad.
A poignant performance is then expected by Frightened Rabbit and guests after the
letters@ eveningtimes. co.uk tragic death of frontman Scott Hutchison.
KT Tunstall and Amy McDonald will bring the musical entertainment to an end after arriving from appearances in other cities.
Rapper, author, and social commentator Darren ‘Loki’ McGarvey will calm things down with a bedtime story before the long night ahead under the stars begins at 11.15pm.
Author Irvine Welsh will perform a reading in Edinburgh that will be broadcast live in Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee.