Wigan charity worker raises £2,000 to fight homelessness with sponsored sleepout

A frontline charity worker at The Brick raised more than £2,000 by taking to the streets for one night to sleep in Wigan town centre.

Christopher Algie (known as Algie), from Wigan, is an outreach worker at The Brick and his job takes him to the streets, every day, providing support for people rough sleeping across the borough. In the last two months alone the Brick outreach team have supported 36 individuals sleeping on the streets into emergency accommodation.

For Algie, having experienced homelessness himself, this campaign to raise money for The Brick by sleeping outdoors is all the more important.

Algie, 39, said: “It was scary taking to the streets once again. There was an occasion when a group of young people verbally abused me and they became physical, at one stage. But, after this, I remained on the streets, albeit shaken up, and wondered whether to return home and to the safety of four walls and a roof over my head.

“I’m pleased that I stayed on the streets, not only to fulfil my pledge to raise money for The Brick, but it really illustrated what so many people who are homeless have to deal with, and how hard it can be.”

Algie added: “There were also some very kind people, that spoke to me and gave me a smile and some acknowledgement.

“One gentleman brought me a box of fried chicken which really lifted my spirits. I did feel guilty at 6am when I returned home, as it hit me that the people we work with at The Brick, don’t have the warmth and safety of a home to go to, and as hard as I found it for one night I could return home when others can’t.

“I want to thank everyone who has supported me and The Brick, and we have had donations from people right across the UK, even from as far afield as Scotland, where a lady is crocheting hats and scarves and sending them to us at The Brick. The kindness and generosity of people really have been amazing.”

Due to the pandemic, the Big Back Garden Sleep has taken the place of the annual big sleepout. The charity is hoping that The Brick’s sleepout will return in 2022.

Keely Dalfen, finance and commercial director at The Brick, said: “By supporting The Brick financially we can help even more people overcome their problems and live safe, successful, independent lives.

“It is our fund-raising events like the Back Garden Sleep that make a massive contribution to our life-changing work and we thank everyone who has taken part this year.”

You can support The Brick at justgiving.com/campaign/thebigbackgardensleep and you can support Algie at justgiving.com/fundraising/algie.

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