A local NHS worker has just completed a sponsored Sleep Outside challenge in aid of a local charity.

Homeless and housing charity the Whitechapel Centre hosted the sponsored sleep outside to increase awareness of homelessness and raise much needed funds for its work with homeless people across Liverpool.

Karen Alexander is 53 and lives in Anfield, she works as a receptionist at Liverpool Community Health’s Walk in Centre in Old Swan. During her spare time Karen is an active supporter of the Whitechapel Centre. Karen and her daughter Lisa undertook the sleep outside challenge and gave up their warm comfortable beds for the night and slept on the cold streets of the city centre.

Karen explained:

“Alongside 70 others, we slept outside in the grounds of Church of Our Lady and St Nicholas’s Church, near the Pier Head in Liverpool city centre. On Friday when I took part in the challenge, it was exactly a year since I suffered a heart attack. It was a good way for me to mark the occasion and count my blessings. The money I raise will hopefully make a difference to the lives of vulnerable people.

“We had to make ourselves a shelter from cardboard boxes and spend our night sleeping outside, it was really cold, especially at around 2am. I know my experience was nothing like sleeping rough but it has provided me with an insight into homelessness and the issues faced by many people, especially as the nights are now getting colder”.

Karen’s fundraising target was £150 and Karen would like to thank everyone who has sponsored Karen so far to help raise over £300 and donations are still coming in. Please show your support to Karen and visit: https://www.justgiving.com/karen-alexander7/

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