Byte Night UK is less than 2 weeks away and the main chief technical architect behind Bizwiki, Keith Hinde, is taking up the challenge to sleep rough in order to help raise awareness and funds to tackle youth homelessness and give at risk teenagers help and security.

Youth Homelessness Statistics

Although official local council figures are lower (England: 15,000 homeless youth in 2013 / Scotland: 12,000 homeless youth in 2011/12), according to Action for Children many homeless youths do not register, and an estimated 80,000 young people a year experience homelessness in the UK – leaving them vulnerable to violence, mental health problems and addiction. Byte Night raises money for Action for Children services that work with young people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

Why Sleep Rough

In his own words, Keith tells us why he’s willing to brave a chilly October night out in the open:

“Byte Night” has been a fund-raising event I’ve wanted to be involved with for some time and I’m very pleased to be taking part this year. It has always seemed a great event to both help some of the UK’s most vulnerable young people and help get the mission of Action for Children out there to a wider audience.

Growing up I feel I was very fortunate: a loving home and stable family. I never had to worry about violence at home, abuse of any kind, poverty, where I would sleep or indeed where my next meal would come from – these things I could (and did) take for granted. Thousands of young people in the UK are not so fortunate: they find themselves in desperate need and awful situations, often out on the street at one of most crucial times of their lives.

For almost 150 years Action for Children have made it their mission to help these young people in any way they can. My night sleeping out is nothing compared to the hardships they suffer, but I hope the efforts of everyone sleeping out on the 3rd October can go some way to help Action for Children in their mission.”

What is Byte Night

Byte Night started 16 years ago when 30 individuals from the IT industry slept out and raised £35,000. Byte Night is now the leading charity event for individuals and teams from the IT, technology and business sectors and the UK’s largest charity sleep out with more than 1400 sleepers who in 2013 raised over £1 million.

This year Byte Night will take place in 8 locations around the UK on Friday October 3rd and Keith will be one of them.

Get Involved

If you want to help Keith raise funds for this incredibly important cause you can donate to his JustGiving page here.

To find out more about the Byte Night event,  what it’s in aide of and how you can also get involved, have a look at the Byte Night website and Facebook page, or watch this video of Holly, a teenage girl that Action for Children was able to help get off the streets thanks to the support of caring individuals like Keith and you.