Local students think ‘outside the box’ at St Swithun’s School to support homelessness charity Trinity Winchester

On Thursday last week, over 100 students from five local schools joined the Big Sleep Out Shelter Build at St Swithun’s School to raise money and awareness for the homelessness charity Trinity Winchester.

Pupils from Oliver’s Battery Primary, Nightingale Primary, Winnall Primary, St Bedes and St Swithun’s Junior School designed and created shelters out of cardboard boxes. The shelters were then used during Trinity’s Big Sleep Out, at Wolvesey, the Bishop of Winchester’s Palace, on the night of Friday 11 May.

In addition to the shelter building, pupils took part in recycling activities using waste materials to design and create something new and joined in with discussions about homelessness and the local community. Volunteers from local construction services company Osborne supported the event by providing cardboard, other resources and prizes for the best shelters. They also helped with creation of the shelters during the day.

St Swithun’s School headmistress, Jane Gandee said “We were excited to be able to host the Big Sleep Out Shelter Build this year, and help students from across Winchester think about homelessness in our city by engaging with Trinity’s work.”

In addition to donating their shelters, local school children have supported Trinity’s work with homeless and vulnerable people by holding mufti days and fundraising sales.

There is still time to support those who slept out, by visiting www.trinitywinchester.org.uk/bigsleepout.

Photo: Students from St Swithun’s Junior School work on their shelter during the Big Sleep Out Shelter Build.