We are sleeping with Simon

No it’s not some lurid confession. Every morning, just like you, I walk into work through the streets of Leeds on my way into work. Among the hustle and bustle of everyone dashing to work or worrying about the length of the queue in Starbucks there are lots people who we chose not to see.

They’re there sat in doorways or trying to sleep on cardboard boxes as the city whizzes past them. You see these homeless people but how often do you stop to help or ask how they are?

On your way to work or out shopping you’ve got a million things on your mind; How are the kids doing at school? I’m worried about that deadline at work! It’s raining and I forgot my umbrella, again!

Don’t get me wrong I’m just as guilty.

My mind is whirr all the time and I pass homeless people by without helping, without stopping, without thinking too much about their predicament. Why? Because it’s too scary. Everyone is only a few mishaps away from being in real trouble themselves and who knows with a run of bad luck you too could be homeless. I think that’s part of the reason why I, and many other people, don’t like think about it.

Can you help me help Simon on the Streets?

On September 28th I’ll be Sleeping with Simon on the streets of Leeds. To be fair this is a sanitised way to experience homelessness, there’ll be large group of people sleeping out, we’ll be safe, maybe not warm, but the next night we’ll be back home with our loved ones.

The Simon on the Streets cause really means a lot to me. The charity does a lot of hard work in Leeds and across Yorkshire to help homeless people get their life back on track and ensure they are safe and cared for.

My aim is to raise ￡1,000 for Simon on the Streets and any help you can give will be greatly appreciated. If you’d like to make a donation please visit my Just Giving Page and give as much as you can afford to.

This originally appeared on The Marketing Optimist blog