FEATURE
Instigator – CEO Sleepout founder Andy Preston ( centre ) with Tees Business director Dave Allan and Bianca at a sleepout on Preston Park ’ s Victorian Street in 2017 .
How it all began – Bianca ( sixth right , standing ) took part in the first ever CEO Sleepout , outside Middlesbrough ’ s Riverside Stadium in 2013 . difference ,” she says .
Under Bianca ’ s leadership – initially as part-time national co-ordinator – the charity gathered pace .
In 2019 , she became full-time CEO , and the progress has continued , despite the trauma of a breast cancer diagnosis in 2020 .
“ It was a tough time , but Saltburn got me through it – it ’ s that kind of place – and working for such an amazing charity helped give me a focus . I still need to be careful , and have regular checks , but I ’ m through it , and feel great again ,” she says .
Bianca can take pride in the fact that there are now CEO Sleepouts in 20 cities , with hopes of a first event in Scotland later this year .
Since its inception , the charity has raised £ 4.6m for local charities supporting the homeless . In 2023 alone , £ 860,000 was raised through sleepouts , and Bianca hopes to break the £ 1m barrier this year .
“ Homelessness is like a mushroom cloud at present ,” she says , citing the high cost of private rentals , a lack of social housing , a flawed care system and inadequate mental health support as contributory factors .
“ People are falling through the cracks , and the need is greater than ever , so we need to keep growing at a manageable pace ,” she insists .
“ It ’ s been exhausting , but I love the interaction with business leaders , and seeing how lives change as a result of what we do together .”
Bianca is now targeting small- and medium-sized enterprises , convinced they can be transformational .
“ If just one per cent of SMEs took social responsibility into their business , they could make a massive difference , so we need to make it easier for them to do that ,” she says . “ It ’ s about identifying what your business cares about , and mapping it to local needs , because this is on all of us .
“ It ’ s our responsibility to act because what ’ s happening on the streets isn ’ t acceptable .”
Official estimates are that , on any night in 2023 , 309,550 people were homeless , compared to 271,421 in 2022 – an increase of 14 per cent .
Amid that cold , harsh reality of a national homelessness crisis , it ’ s heartwarming to know that Teesside is leading the fight to turn the tide .
The voice of business in the Tees region | 19