Abertay Principal to raise awareness of homelessness

Abertay Principal to raise awareness of homelessness

The Principal of Abertay University will join Sir Chris Hoy and a host of Scottish executives to spend a night camping in the cold as part of a charity drive. Professor Nigel Seaton is among an array of influential people taking part in the Social Bite CEO Sleep Out in Edinburgh on Thursday 15 December. The initiative will see more than 250 Scots from industry, sport and politics shiver through the night in Charlotte Square in a campaign aimed at tackling homelessness. Professor Seaton is aiming to raise £1,000 and will be rewarded with breakfast served by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon after completing the task. The group will bed down from 7pm and stay overnight until 7am. All participants will be raising money to build the country's first village for the homeless in Edinburgh's Granton area. The Social Bite Village project has a fundraising target of £500,000 and aims to house up to 20 homeless people for about 12 months each, from summer 2017.Professor Seaton said he was delighted by the funds already donated from across the Abertay community and beyond, but would be grateful for support from members of the public for this worthy cause. He added, ‘The Sleep Out is in support of Social Bite, a social enterprise that provides employment opportunities and other support for homeless people. ‘By taking part in the Sleep Out, I will be joining more than 100 other chief executives of Scottish organisations to raise funds for the construction of a village for homeless people. ‘In doing this, I will be getting a glimpse of life on the street in the winter – but only the smallest glimpse, as we will be provided with warm bedding and supplied throughout the night with food and drink when we want it, which of course is very different from the actual experience of people living out of doors from necessity.’ To donate via Professor Seaton’s page visit justgiving.com/fundraising/Nigel-Seaton

Share This