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Over 100 Luton Scouts and their leaders,
including Lea Valley's Explorer Scouts, Strathmore Scouts and Lea
Scouts, have found out what it is like to be homeless. Deprived of their
comfortable beds, they slept over night in Luton’s massive shopping Mall
with all the festive trappings around them. But they found the flashing
decorations, the noise and the hard floor were not quite the spirit of
Christmas they expected when you wanted to sleep. Jim O’Connor of
homeless charity NOAH Enterprise said, “For the first time the Scouts
had a chance to experience the conditions Luton’s homeless live through
every night.”
The young people ranged from the youngest
Beaver Scout aged six to eighteen year old Explorer Scouts. They came
from all three districts in the town and represented nine Scout Groups.
As an extra community care project they also raised over £2300 to help
the NOAH charity with their work.
Just like the some of the homeless, the
Scouts had a sing-song round a camp fire and a supper of hot dogs before
trying to get some sleep. One young Cub Scout said, “It’s sad to know
that some people will have to sleep on the hard ground this Christmas.
But I’m glad NOAH can help them.”
Cub Scout Olivia from the 16th
Someries Scout Group added, “What I learnt from the event was that
people are not the same in the world and some have different problems
and disabilities. We played the part of a homeless person and learnt
about the difficulties they face."
Someries District Commissioner Kam Patel,
who co-ordinated the Scouts effort commented: “Sleeping overnight in
your local shopping centre certainly isn’t an everyday occurrence! More
importantly, the Scouts learnt a lot about the issues faced by the
homeless and in true scouting tradition they gave something back to the
community.”
Jim O’Connor from NOAH Enterprise added:
“It was truly heart-warming to see the effort these young people put
into raising funds for NOAH. What was even more heartening was the
compassion they showed for the many individuals NOAH Enterprise helps.”
Brian McFarland, General Manager of The
Mall Arndale, Luton concluded: “As far as I’m aware this is the first
time that any shopping centre in the UK has held an overnight sleepover
on such a scale.”
NOAH Enterprises (New Opportunities and
Horizons) has been helping Luton’s homeless and those at the margins of
normal life for over 20 years. Around 70 disadvantaged people pass
through their Park Street centre every day. In 1999 the Queen opened
their training centre and in 2006 the charity won the prestigious Best
of Luton award for their work. They are now planning to open a
purpose-built, four-storey centre on the site of an old car park in High
Town. |