Vinnies sleep out for homeless

WelCom November 2017: Spring is here and that means it is time for our St Bernard’s College Year 12 retreat. For the second year running we took part in 14hours Homeless…

Some interesting structural engineering. Photos: Supplied


WelCom November 2017: Spring is here and that means it is time for our St Bernard’s College Year 12 retreat. For the second year running we took part in 14hours Homeless – held overnight on Friday 13 October. The event asks participants to sleep outside for a night, in solidarity with those who sleep rough every night.

Our socially-minded students were challenged to understand and develop empathy to enable them to be compassionate school leaders next year. The boys prepared meals for each other, led each other in prayer, and took part in a number of activities designed to build a sense of community. They set up their outdoor camp and used a variety of cardboard boxes, a truck side curtain, tarpaulins and an epic amount of tape! However, the rain did have the final say, which sent half of us into the tech block corridor. Kristen Gibb helped prepare a late supper and bacon and eggs for breakfast.

The boys were asked to find sponsorship of $14 for each hour they were homeless. The money will all be donated to the Compassion Soup Kitchen in Wellington.

Jonny Boon

Jonny Boon is DRS, St Bernard’s College, Lower Hutt.

Zion Tui secures his tarp in case it rains.


Dinner sleeping rough with Raymond Bewley, Gio Cigaral, Daniel Lloyd, Tom Richards and Troy Atienza.