By JESSE GRAHAM
HOMELESSNESS in the Yarra Ranges will be at the forefront during a week-long series of events put on by charities next month, culminating in a public sleep-out in Lilydale.
From Friday 29 July to Sunday 7 August, Holy Fools will run the Yarra Ranges Homeless Winter Sleepout in Lilydale’s Melba Park.
The event is an extension of the annual sleepout that former mayor Tim Heenan takes part in every year, to highlight homelessness in the Yarra Ranges.
Mr Heenan will be sleeping in a cardboard box throughout the week, which coincides with national Homelessness Week, and events will be run each day at the David Wilkinson Pavilion nearby with a public sleepout scheduled for Saturday 6 August.
Holy Fools CEO Neal Taylor said the public sleepout area would be fenced off, with portable toilets, tea and coffee and volunteers on-hand to talk about homelessness and related issues in the area.
“It’s not even close to the reality of being homeless, but we want … just to encourage people to feel the severity of what it would feel like to sleep in the cold, give up their bed for the night,” he said.
The week will be officially launched from 11am on Monday 1 August at the pavilion, with Mr Taylor, Mr Heenan, Anchor CEO Heidi Tucker and youth advocate Laura Johns speaking and lunch provided by Tasty Az.
The issue of homelessness will be further highlighted in Awareness Walks on Tuesday 2 August at 2.30pm and Saturday 6 August at noon, where a group will walk around Lilydale, pointing out areas that people on the streets use for shelter.
“It’ll surprise a lot of people … I think people will be quite surprised at some of the places people have chosen to sleep, just for their own safety,” Mr Taylor said.
He said that Mr Heenan’s annual sleepout usually drew a number of people who were experiencing homelessness, because of the safety of being around other people.
Each weeknight from 5pm, the Yarra Ranges Housing Action Group will hold Fireside Talks, discussing about family issues and homelessness with someone related to each topic.
Though this year marks the eighth annual sleepout, Mr Taylor said homelessness remained largely “hidden”, due to the size of the Yarra Ranges and the many places people sought for shelter away from main streets.
Mr Taylor said he was hoping to organise a Pet Care Day as part of the week on Friday 5 August, where a vet would be able to run check-ups on animals owned by people experiencing or at-risk of homelessness.
He encouraged anyone interested in the public sleepout to come to Melba Park from 6pm on Saturday 6 August, bringing tents, cardboard, or “whatever they need to survive”.
Participation in the public sleepout is a $5 donation, which will fund Holy Fools’ projects, such as their weekly Street Angels lunch at the park in Lilydale and in Yarra Junction.
For more information, visit www.holyfools.org.au/yrwsleepout, or www.facebook.com/homelessintheYV.
