Jason Bolton, Thomas Luecke from TCP presenting cheque to Centrepoint chief executive, Seyi Obakin, Andrew Carnie, Benjamin Boyne

As overnight temperatures plummeted on Thursday 10th November, Technical Consumer Products (TCP) Managing Director Thomas Luecke and Andrew Carnie, Trading Director of Homebase were to be found sleeping out on cardboard boxes in the inhospitable surroundings of central London.

This was not the result of some unexpected misfortune, but rather a show of support for homeless charity Centrepoint. Thomas, along with Andrew and Benjamin Boyne and Jason Bolton joined 650 other fundraising ‘sleepers’ in London’s Exchange Square to experience something of the discomfort endured by homeless people every night among the bright lights and noise of the capital city.

Centrepoint is the UK’s leading charity for homeless young people, providing housing and support for over 1,200 16-25 year olds every year to help them into education, work and a home of their own. Centrepoint works directly in London and the North East of England to help vulnerable young people get their lives back on track, and collaborates with other organisations across the UK to advise government.

On the ‘Sleep Out’ night, Thomas Luecke joined Andrew Carnie to present a cheque for £20,000 to Centrepoint, the result of TCP’s pledge to donate 1p for every TCP energy-efficient CFL light bulb sold in Homebase stores. 

Thomas says: “It was a perishing cold night, the pavement was very hard and Andrew and I got very little sleep. However, I know this is only a fraction of the misery suffered by thousands of young homeless people every night. We had the luxury of security guards, a canopy over our heads, and even refreshments and entertainment – so we knew nothing of the fear, hunger and hopelessness that homeless people can suffer. But the experience did bring their plight vividly into focus for me and the other fundraisers, and helped to raise awareness and vital funds for Centrepoint’s essential work.”

TCP is also sponsoring Team Homebase for Centrepoint, currently in training for a gruelling 700km race to the South Pole in December. The team, comprising Andrew Carnie, Benjamin Boyne and Jason Bolton, will be competing against 14 teams of polar explorers, enduring temperatures as low as minus 50°C, in this ultimate endurance challenge. Their target is to raise £250,000 for Centrepoint. And they’ve already won the support of the charity’s patron, Prince William.

Andrew Carnie, Trading Director at Homebase, says: “The support we’ve had from TCP for our fundraising efforts has been fantastic. TCP shares our commitment to helping Centrepoint improve the outlook for vulnerable young homeless people. With TCP’s £20,000 donation and sponsoring of Team Homebase for Centrepoint in the South Pole Race, we are now well on the way to achieving our £250,000 fundraising target for Centrepoint.”

Anyone wishing to lend their support can do so at the team’s Just Giving page: http://www.justgiving.com/South-Pole-Race-2012