PRINCE WILLIAM RECENTLY SPENT A NIGHT SLEEPING ROUGH TO EXPERIENCE AND UNDERSTAND THE PLIGHT OF THE HOMELESS DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON. HE STAYED OUT IN TEMPERATURES AS LOW AS MINUS 4c, LYING IN A CENTRAL LONDON ALLEYWAY SURROUNDED BY TRASH AND WHEELIE BINS. THE PRINCE, PATRON OF THE CHARITY CENTREPOINT, SAID HE WAS TRYING TO 'DO HIS BIT' TO HELP THE VULNERABLE. HE WAS SLIGHTLY BETTER OFF THAN THE AVERAGE TRANSIENT ROUGH SLEEPER, AS HE WAS ACCOMPANIED BY HIS ARMED PERSONAL PROTECTION OFFICER, HIS PRIVATE SECRETARY, A FORMER SAS OFFICER, AND THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE HOMELESS CHARITY. EVEN THE VENUE, A SECLUDED SPOT CLOSE TO BLACKFRIARS BRIDGE IN THE CITY, WAS CAREFULLY CHOSEN FOR SAFETY CONCERNS. BUT THE PRINCE SAID AFTERWARDS THAT THE EXPERIENCE HAD HELPED TO DEEPEN HIS UNDERSTANDING OF LIFE ON THE STREETS. IN A STATEMENT, WILLIAM SAID: 'I CANNOT, AFTER ONE NIGHT, EVEN BEGIN TO IMAGINE WHAT IT MUST BE LIKE TO SLEEP ROUGH ON LONDON'S STREETS NIGHT AFTER NIGHT.' HIS BRIEF BRUSH WITH HOMELESSNESS CAME ON TUESDAY LAST WHEN, SHORTLY BEFORE MIDNIGHT, HE WALKED WITH HIS SLEEPING BAG TO THE SPOT. DRESSED IN JEANS, TRAINERS, A HOODED SWEATSHIRT AND BEANIE HAT, HE WENT UNRECOGNIZED AS HE LAID A PIECE OF CARDBOARD DOWN ON THE GROUND AND CLIMBED INTO HIS SLEEPING BAG. IT WASN'T AN ALTOGETHER NEW EXPERIENCE FOR FORMER ARMY OFFICER WILLIAM. WHO HAS OFTEN LIVED ROUGH ON EXERCISES. BUT IT CERTAINLY WASN'T A PLEASANT ONE, AS TEMPERATURES PLUNGED, MAKING SLEEP ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. AFTER SLEEPING FITFULLY, THE PRINCE ROLLED UP HIS SLEEPING BAG AT 6am AND WALKED THROUGH THE STREETS FRO 45 MINUTES, STOPPING TO TALK TO SEVERAL HOMELESS PEOPLE ON THE WAY. HE WENT TO CENTREPOINT'S HOSTEL IN GREEK STREET, SOHO, WHERE HE SHOWERED BEFORE COOKING BREAKFAST FOR SOME OF THE RESIDENTS AND CUTTING CAKE TO CELEBRATE THE CHARITY'S 40th ANNIVERSARY. LATER THAT DAY HE JOINED THE QUEEN FOR HER TRADITIONAL FAMILY CHRISTMAS LUNCH AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE.
No comments:
Post a Comment