A chef from Blakes Restaurant at Hard Days Night Hotel will step out of the kitchen and sleep rough on the streets of Liverpool in a bid to raise vital funds to combat homelessness in the city.
On Friday, October 9, Gareth Mellor will sleep outside St Nicholas’ Church in the heart of the business district as part of an altruistic scheme organised by local charity The Whitechapel Centre.
Gareth, 33, from Runcorn, said: “My partner is currently training as a social worker and she recently highlighted the severity of the issue of homelessness in Liverpool and across the UK. It’s imperative that events like this occur to raise both funds and awareness for such charities and I’m glad that I am able to do my bit.”
On the evening itself, Gareth will head straight from the hotel restaurant to join other volunteers, who will be challenged to create a shelter for the night using only a cardboard box, tape and plastic sheeting.
The sponsored ‘Sleep Out’ will then take place in a safe and stewarded environment, where there will also be prizes for Best Onesie, Best Shelter, Best Individual Fundraiser and Best Team Fundraiser.
Gareth added: “It’s important to do things outside of your comfort zone and this will certainly be challenging. I hope to not only raise awareness, but also sponsorship that could both help and save a life.”