Last October I spent a night in a sleeping bag just a few hundred meters from where the queen has just greeted the Pope. On that occasion there was no cheering crown and the weather was more typically Scottish – with howling wind and torrential rain. 75 of us came together to sleep outside for a night with only a groundsheet, sleeping bag and survival bag to keep us warm and dry.

12 years ago the first Byte Night in aid of Action for Children took place with 30 individuals sleeping outside. Last year over 700 people, including me, in 5 locations across the UK took part. In my blog written after the event I described a sense of hopelessness and achievement:

Hopelessness

There were some insightful moments I shared on twitter about the connection to nature as I lay there looking up at the moon or that you can hear the wind coming (we had about a minute of hearing it getting nearer and nearer and knowing any moment it would hit us too). But many of the other insights weren’t shared because they came when I was too cold to text and didn’t want to move for fear of the rain or wind then being able to get at me. Insights that some people do this every night. Imagine not really being able to get comfy enough to fall asleep, or the cramps and aches because of how you’d had to sleep to keep dry and out of the wind. What about not getting up to go to the toilet because you know you’d then have to get back into your sleeping bag with all your wet clothes on. Or knowing when you do get up that you’re going to have to dry your clothes and sleeping bag somehow. I had a whole new sense of appreciation for the hand dryer in the toilet the next morning. If there hadn’t been a queue I’d loved to have stayed there longer getting dryer and warmer.

So hopelessness because that’s how a night in the rain can make you feel. I certainly understand why people who do this every night can get into a spiral unable to see a way out. I also understand why those who support Action for Children do what they do to help young people out of the spiral

Achievement

Achievement because it’s something I wasn’t expecting. As the weekend progresses the sense of achievement has increased. I didn’t realise I’d feel proud of doing it nor that it would make me realise how much I can do if I set my mind to it. I’d done it to raise money after all and as a team am pleased we raised over £1.8k and as a location over £45k and increasing.

So today’s call for action is to do something that really feels like it’s outside your comfort zone and realise how much more you can do. If that doing then helps others that’s even better.

On the 8th of October this year Byte night is taking place again in 5 locations. I’m unable to take part this year but would encourage everyone to do something to help support this event. Donate, Retweet, Take part – because Action For Children are there for “as long as it takes” and I believe we should be too.