Buxton pupils pitching up their tents to raise funds for the homeless

Student and families from Buxton Junior School will be leaving their beds behind for a night and sleeping in tents to raise money for the High Peak Homeless Help charity.
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The Big Camp Out is taking place on June 12 and will be a chance for families to do something fun and for a good cause.

It is being organised by the PTA and chair of the committee Liz Taylor said: “We would normally be thinking about putting on our summer fair but we can’t do it this year because of Covid so it’s forced us to think outside the box.

“Camping out, if its in your back garden or in your living room, is something accessible to all our students and is a lovely family activity which will create memories for years to come.”

Buxton Junior School pupils preparing for their charity camp outBuxton Junior School pupils preparing for their charity camp out
Buxton Junior School pupils preparing for their charity camp out

The school has had several successful fundraisers in recent months and wanted to help a charity with the next idea it had.

The PTA decided to support High Peak Homeless Help, formerly Nightstop, and the idea of camping out came about.

Liz said: “It’s about raising awareness even in younger children that not everyone is lucky enough to go to bed every night and some people have no choice but to camp out.”

On average High Peak Homeless Help assist 400 people in Buxton and the High Peak. Not all are homeless, some are struggling financially and may just need some help or advice.

Cath Sterndale from the charity said: “We love the idea of the camp out and hope it goes well for the children.

"It’s great to see families prepared to broaden their horizons and help others and the money raised from the camp out will make a big difference to those in our community who have nowhere to call home.”

Liz says she wants to raise £500 and Cath says the money raised would go to buying more sleeping pods, an insulated sleeping space for one person which is smaller than a tent and folds up to fit in a backpack.

The charity have already had a donation of ten pods from Buxton Lions but as Cath explained: “With furlough coming to an end there will be more people losing their jobs and struggling and we need to be prepared for this and be ready to help.”

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