Directors to sleep rough in fight against poverty

Aycliffe Today editor Martin Walker will join more than 30 other business owners and executives to sleep rough for a night in the fight against local poverty and homelessness.

But more volunteers are wanted for the charity sleepout event at Preston Park Museum in Stockton.

Aycliffe Today Business and our sister magazine, Tees Business, are looking for local business owners, directors and senior executives to take part in the next CEO Sleepout event on the night of Thursday, May 12.

Mantis Media boss Walker (pictured above, right) and Dave Allan from DNA PR & Publicity have secured the unique setting of the Victorian Street at Preston Park Museum for the overnight event, which will raise thousands of pounds.

Proceeds from the event will go towards funding a high-quality not-for-profit restaurant in Middlesbrough that will provide catering jobs for recovering addicts and alcoholics, those who have suffered from homelessness and those recently released from prison.

A share of the funds will also be donated to the charities chosen by outgoing Stockton mayor Ian Dalgarno, namely Butterwick Hospice, Daisy Chain and the Great North Air Ambulance Service.

Those who’ve already signed up to the CEO Sleepout include Great Aycliffe and Durham County Councillor John Clare.

He will be joined by the former Mrs Bannatyne, Joanne McCue, plus all four directors of our principal media partners, Applied Integration.

Others include Claire Preston, managing director of newly-crowned Teesside Small Business of the Year Sound Training, tech and engineering entrepreneur Alastair Waite and Paul Griffiths, managing director of long-established Tees engineering firm, Industrial Marine Hydraulics.

Bosses from Barclays, First Choice Labels, InBond and test equipment suppliers Pass will also be taking part.

CEO Sleepout UK is a national fundraising phenomenon that has already raised close to £1m to fight homelessness and poverty around the country.

Since the first CEO Sleepout outside Middlesbrough FC’s Riverside Stadium in 2013, business leaders have slept rough at a range of landmark venues, including Wembley Stadium, The Oval, Cardiff Castle, Newcastle’s St James Park, Birmingham’s Villa Park and Everton FC’s Goodison Park in Liverpool.

Thanks to the bright thinking of Middlesbrough-based business investor Andy Preston, the charity’s founder and chairman, 15% of all funds raised at every event heads back to the region to support good causes across the Tees Valley.

Participants are allowed to bring along a sleeping bag, while warm clothes are recommended. There will also be access to hot drinks and toilets throughout the night.

• To register your interest in taking part in CEO Sleepout at Preston Park Museum – or to check who has signed up so far – visit www.ceosleepoutuk.com or contact Martin Walker on 07826 525907, [email protected]