"Before tonight, I had thought I could imagine what it was like to be homeless. But I now realise that I had had no idea. Nobody should have to live like that."
Charlotte Lord
A team from Cardiff solicitors Clarke Willmott LLP braved Storm Atiyah as part of the World’s Big Sleep Out to raise more than £2600 for homelessness charity Llamau.
The seven-strong team were forced to quit in the early hours of Sunday as the weather meant it was no longer safe to continue.
“It was horrendous,” said team member Charlotte Lord. “Trying to get comfortable on the hard ground while the rain was lashing down and finding its way onto our ground sheet.
“By 1am we were all thoroughly sodden. My fingers were wrinkled liked I’d stayed in the bath too long, my hood was full of water, and my hair was plastered over my face.
“The wind then got up, the flag pole on the castle was rattling and we struggled to stop our tarpaulin from flying away. We were eventually told to go home for our own safety.
“Before tonight, I had thought I could imagine what it was like to be homeless. But I now realise that I had had no idea. Nobody should have to live like that.”
Money raised from the Sleep Out will help Llamau continue to provide vital, life changing services for some of the most vulnerable people in Wales.
Last year Llamau supported 10,621 homeless young people and women and their families to give them a chance at a bright future.
Each year in Wales around 7,000 young people aged 16-25 ask for help with homelessness, and over 10,000 women become homeless by fleeing an abusive relationship.
The Clarke Willmott Sleep Out team was made up of Bethan Evans, Vicky Kells, Charlotte Lord, Carla Sloman, Hannah McAulay, Ruth Payne and Sharon Fair.
Charlotte Lord is an associate in the commercial property team specialising in secured lending and social housing finance.
Clarke Willmott is a national law firm with offices in Birmingham, Bristol. Cardiff, London, Manchester, Southampton and Taunton.
