Why was I carrying a big bag? Can you help young homeless in Glos?

Earlier this week I mentioned in another blog that Gloucestershire Nightstop, a youth homelessness charity issued a challenge for this week - Poverty & Homelessness Action Week - could you manage if you had to put everything you needed to survive into just one carrier bag? 

Gloucestershire Nightstop, who works with young people aged 16-25 across the county, has contacted local MPs and councillors, clergymen, colleges and voluntary organizations, looking for people who will take up the challenge. They are asking, if you had to leave home suddenly, becoming homeless, what would you take with you?

As the charity says: "Many young people find themselves in this position: they fall out with their family or split up with a partner and have to move out at short notice. Often, they don't have a chance to take all their belongings with them.....The charity provides temporary accommodation in the homes of trained hosts for young people who have reached a crisis point in their lives and have become homeless."

Nightstop provided me and other participants with a carrier bag printed with 'My life in a bag' campaign and asked us to carry the bag around for 24 hours. I have to say it was alot more difficult than I had expected. I forgot the bag at one point, couldn't really get proper waterproof jacket into the bag with clothes change....but it was a good excuse to talk to people about Nightstop and write this blog to highlight their important work. Let's hope it leads to them finding new volunteers willing to act as hosts to young people.

Janet Ellard, Host Coordinator at the charity says, ''All you need is an interest in young people and a spare room. We will provide training, carry out checks and will also pay expenses to cover costs.''

To find out more about the project visit the charity's website