KIND-hearted youngsters from Dudley Youth Council braved the cold to take part in a sponsored sleepout to raise funds for the homeless.

The young people, aged from 13 to 19 years old, slept at the Dudley Canal Trust on Friday January 11 to raise money for Dudley-based organisation, CHADD, which helps vulnerable people in the borough access housing.

They smashed their fundraising target of £100 and managed to raise over £600 for CHADD.

Cllr Jake Cooper, a former Youth Council member and now councillor, said: "I'm really proud of the Youth Council for their commitment and dedication in raising so much money for such a worthy cause like CHADD. They do some amazing things for the young people of Dudley and I'm looking forward to doing more with them in the future."

Members of Dudley Youth Council, Harley Keasey, aged 14, and Holly White, aged 15, explained: “This year our main campaign is homelessness which young people told us, through a ballot we ran, was the top local issue they wanted us to work on.

"The sleepover idea was chosen after our JAM session in 2017 which helped us learn more about homelessness. We realised what a big issue this is for everyone in Dudley and, as young people, we wanted to make a difference and raise awareness of the issue throughout the borough.”

Anna Walsh, the Chief Executive of CHADD said “Our aim at CHADD is to provide a safety net in crisis and a springboard towards a better future.We are thrilled that Dudley Youth Council are raising funds for CHADD and specifically for our Foyer for young people who are rebuilding their lives and recovering from homelessness.

"The young people at DYC have been a great support to us this year in lots of ways and they are really passionate about tackling homelessness. It is amazing to see young people engaged in social action, it shows their talent, their passion and shows that they have something to offer the borough of Dudley.”

The sleepout included a midnight Olympics and a sponsored silence to help add to the fundraising coffers.

Cllr Jake Cooper added: "As a previous member of the youth council, prior to being elected to Dudley Council, I have seen the great work that the Dudley Youth Council have done for the area. This includes campaigns such as Curriculum For Life, a campaign for better PSHE education in schools, and their involvement in the EquiliTEAs campaign to mark the centenary of the women's vote, in which they hosted a coffee and cake day to celebrate equality. The Youth Council do some amazing work for the young people of our borough and they are a true asset to the community. To support them, I will also be joining them at their event this Friday to raise awareness for CHADD and homelessness.

Councillor Keiran Casey, cabinet member for housing and residents welfare, said: "The work that the youth council is doing to identify homelessness as a key issue and looking at how we can work with some of the great organisations we have locally such as CHADD, the YMCA and many others to tackle this problem, is extremely important.

"Preventing homelessness for everyone, regardless of age, is always a priority. The team at the council works around the clock to offer advice and support to people in crisis or that find themselves sleeping rough, but can also help people who are concerned they may be at risk of losing the roof over their head."

He added: "The best advice we can give is to contact us as soon as possible so that we can provide the help and support needed.”