ControlCircle takes to the streets to raise money for Action for Children’s annual Byte Night sleep out

September 29, 2008 – ControlCircle, the datacentre services company, is raising money for Action for Children by taking part in this year’s Byte Night, the IT industry’s annual sleep out which supports the nation’s most vulnerable young people and their families and highlights the whole issue of youth homelessness.

ControlCircle’s chief executive officer, Damian Milkins, along with Ben Radomski, corporate communications manager, will give up a night in bed, take to their sleeping bags and sleep out in Potter’s Field, near London Bridge.

In 1998, just 35 people slept out and raised £35,000.  Since then, Byte Night has grown to become nationwide with this year’s event on Friday October 3, 2008 expected to see 500 people in London, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Manchester and the Thames Valley taking part to raise what is hoped will be £500,000 to fund vital Action for Children projects.

Ken Deeks, founder of Byte Night, says, “The idea for Byte Night came to me when I saw an Action for Children poster on the Underground seeking funding to help end youth homelessness by the millennium.  At the time, the IT industry was making huge sums of money on Y2K bug fixes so I thought I’d put the two together and get a hugely rich industry to support a charity which had a pressing need for assistance to solve a really important social problem.”

While much has been done to reduce it, at least 75,000 children and young people experienced homelessness in the UK in the past year, in other words 1 out of every 100 person aged between 16 and 24.(1) The reasons for this are complex but typically result from young people leaving the care system, trauma during childhood or having to leave home because their parents will not accommodate them.  And the effects are significant.  A third of all young homeless people attempt suicide and, according to the Home Office, 70% are diagnosed with depression or other mental health disorders, or have concerns about their mental health.(2)

Damian Milkins, ControlCircle’s chief executive officer, says, “Frankly most of us have the unconditional support from family to cope with life ups and downs.  For those that don’t, things can get tricky with some young people ending up in difficulty. That’s where Action for Children steps in and we’re proud to be supporting such a worthy organisation.”

To donate money to Action for Children, please visit http://www.justgiving.com/bytenight_controlcircle

Your support is greatly appreciated.