Computer Weekly readers are invited to join 200 senior
IT professionals at a sleep-out on London's Embankment near Tower
Bridge on Friday 23 September. The aim is to raise more than
£250,000 for disadvantaged children.
Since it started in 1998, the annual Byte Night event has raised
more than £1m for charity NCH. Due to local authority matched
funding, every £1 raised by the sleepers will result in £5 going to
the children's charity. Moreover, 93p in every £1 raised goes
directly to support those in need, said Byte Night founder Ken
Deeks, director of Kaizo PR.
Participants come from all sectors of IT, ranging from CIOs of
user organisations to chief executives of major IT suppliers, and
even government ministers. In recent years they have included David
Burden, CIO of Royal Mail, the then IT minister Stephen Timms and
Steve Gill, UK chief executive of Hewlett-Packard.
Anyone in IT can take part, on condition that they undertake to
raise a minimum of £2,000 in sponsorship. This year teams are also
being encouraged to take part - the minimum sponsorship expected
per team is £5,000.
Last year Byte Night raised £217,000. NCH uses the money in a
variety of ways, including paying for emergency overnight support
for young people living on the streets; providing one-to-one advice
for young people leaving care; and to keep young people in
supported lodging.
Speaking in support of last year's charity sleep-out, London
mayor Ken Livingstone said, "Byte Night is a fine example of the IT
industry working to raise awareness of the homeless. We need to
bring to an end the social exclusion that homelessness brings."
More information:
www.bytenight.org.uk
Support our man on the streets
Computer Weekly's managing editor John Riley will be sleeping
out at Byte Night this year for the fourth time - and he is looking
for sponsorship. To support him, click on the link below.
https://www.bmycharity.com/JohnRileyByteNight