Funeral staff sleep rough for local foundation

Stockton-based funeral staff recently spent a night sleeping rough to raise funds for a local foundation.

Six members of staff from Thomas Rea and Sons took part in the ‘Big Tees Sleepout’ to raise more than £400 for Middlesbrough and Teesside Philanthropic Foundation, which supports local homeless charities and projects in the area.

Kerry Herriot, the funeral arranger whose idea it was, remarked: “The night began as a brilliant team building exercise, but when it got to around 2am and the temperature began to plummet and then it started raining, the realisation that people actually do this night after night, through no choice of their own really hit us.

“Our sleeping bags were getting soaked it and it just made us realise how much we take for granted. It really opened our eyes and realise how lucky we are and what dreadful conditions some people are subjected to.”

Joining Kerry for the rough sleep were her colleagues Adam Hampton, Sally Roberts, Jackie Chilton, Danny Dales and Kevin Corrigan.