A cold night under the stars was shared at RAF Coningsby as whole force personnel from the Lincolnshire Station took part in the Great Tommy Sleep out.
The Great Tommy Sleep Out is sponsored nationally by BAE Systems, and is designed to support homeless veterans in the United Kingdom. Fundraisers can sleep outdoors for one night or more, and all the money raised goes towards veterans who struggle to access social housing and find themselves being homeless.
RAF Coningsby Chaplain Padre Stewart Shaw and his former Section Commander slept rough in a nearby churchyard for the Royal British Legion Industries Great Tommy Sleep Out. Long before he joined the Royal Air Force as a Chaplain, Padre Shaw was a soldier in the British Army. His former Section Commander, and fellow rough sleeper, is retired Army and RAF Reserve Officer Lee Bowden. Together they raised in excess of £500.
Padre Shaw said:
“I was a radio signaller in the Royal Artillery. Lee and I were on operations together for about four years. He decided to give this a go and then reached out to me to see if was interested.”
The Great Tommy Sleep Out at RAF Coningsby was organised by industry partner, BAE Systems. A team from BAE Systems braved the elements overnight, with their Asset Group Lead, Tony, actually braving the elements and sleeping with nothing more than cardboard on the ground.
Jessica is Head of Strategy & Transformation for BAE Systems at RAF Coningsby. She said:
“This is an amazing cause where we can play a small part in helping those who find themselves in a difficult situation. The team put in a great effort and we have raised £765 so far. There is a genuine sense of camaraderie from doing this as a team and having just a small idea of what it must be like for these homeless veterans.”
You can still donate to the Great Tommy Sleep Out by visiting the Just Giving page here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/raf-coningsby-bae-systems-employee-fundraising
