A charity volunteer is sleeping rough on the streets of Croydon this week to raise awareness of homelessness.

Jeff Gridley, 44, is a dust cart driver by day but by night he helps the charity Nightwatch give out food at their soup kitchen in Queen’s Gardens.

The father of three left home on Sunday and will be living on the streets for five days until Thursday.

Mr Gridley has no money or phone, he brought some old second hand clothes and has a sleeping bag with holes in it.

He plans to use the services of various homeless drop-in centres around Croydon to help get him through the week.

The aim is raise more than £2,000 for Nightwatch, which will go towards the running of their soup kitchen.

Your Local Guardian:

Jeff Gridley is sleeping rough this week. 

Mr Gridley said: “There so many people who are sleeping rough out there so I thought I would do it for a week and try and raise awareness about it.

“I haven’t done anything like this before but I am not nervous. Although looking at the weather reports I am going to be a bit cold and a bit wet.”

He added: “My sleeping bag has got about 20 holes in it but some people have it worse than that.

“My family think I am crazy but I suppose they have always thought that. My wife asked if I could make it two weeks instead of one but in all honesty they have been really supportive.”

To sponsor Jeff go to uk.virginmoneygiving.com/JeffGridley.


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