West Midlands Mayor to join Birmingham New Street sleepout
POLITICIANS and business bosses will don their warmest woollies as they sleepout in Birmingham New Street station.
West Midlands Mayor Andy is one of 50 people due to sleep on the station's concourse in support of vulnerable runaway children.
It comes as part of a nationwide sleepout taking place at four of the country's biggest cities to raise cash for charity Railway Children.
Mr Street said: “I’m looking forward to taking part in the Railway Children’s first ever sleepout to raise awareness of this issue and to support the vital work they do.
"The commitment to help tackle this growing problem here in the West Midlands by Network Rail and wider rail industry is to be admired.
"It highlights that we all need to focus on protecting and supporting vulnerable children and young people who decide to run away from home, but often inadvertently put themselves at further risk.”
The sleepout, which will raise awareness of children who run away from home, will also take place at Manchester Piccadilly, Liverpool Lime Street and London Bridge stations on Thursday.
British Transport Police (BTP) dealt with 397 child safeguarding incidents in the West Midlands last year, with many children running away from home due to violence, abuse or neglect.
Children also leave their homes after suffering from sexual and criminal exploitation, unhealthy relationships, addiction and mental illness.
Pete Kent, programme director for the Railway Children, said: “The rail network is often the easiest way to travel for troubled young people looking to run away from their problems.
"As the BTP is on the transport front line, day in, day out, identifying these vulnerable children, working so closely with them gives us the chance to intervene before it is too late and keep these young people from any further harm.
“We have only been able to carry out this work thanks to the amazing support we have continued to have from across the industry, and we’re hoping this event will see the rail community coming together once again to support us and to support these children."
Directors from Network Rail, train companies and rail industry partners will join the sleepout from 8pm, with hopes of raising £25,000.
The BTP estimates it will deal with 10,000 child safeguarding incidents on Britain’s railways this year, a 20 per cent increase from 2017/18.