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SLEEPOUT SHOUTOUT

Vinnies CEO Sleepout Ambassador Colin Wheeler is calling on his fellow Gold Coasters to support this worthy cause.

COLIN WHEELER is a man on a mission.

As the self-confessed CEO (Chief Encouragement Officer) of the Gold Coast’s Vinnies CEO Sleepout, he is urging locals to get behind this worthy cause, either by taking part in the actual sleepout or donating funds to support those who are doing so.

“I’ve been involved in the Sleepout for many years and I am so proud of the money we have raised and the good we have done in the community,” Colin says.

“Since 2015, we’ve raised $2,528,332 and every dollar, apart from the event security and cleaning costs, stays on the Coast.” WORDS RHONDA OXNAM

Drawing on his business contacts as CEO of Document Solutions Australia Pty Limited, Colin has been able to help grow the annual event into one of the Coast’s biggest single fundraisers.

“I know quite a few people at the big end of town and feel very comfortable talking to them knowing that I’m not selling them a photocopier, I’m selling them a sleepout,” he says.

“When I’m talking to people about participating in the event, the first thing I am asked in many cases is ‘why should I help?

“In reality, 60 per cent of homeless are either victims of domestic violence, they have mental health issues or they are kids under 18 – and none of them choose to live that way. "While you do get the homeless who are violent or involved with drink and drugs, they aren’t necessarily the people that Vinnies help.

“Vinnies help the people that lose their jobs or can’t pay their rent and end up living in cars or on the street.”

In fact, that was one of Colin’s first experiences with homelessness.

“I was walking back to my lovely apartment in Main Beach, and there was a Commodore wagon with the door open at 10 o’clock at night,” he recalls.

“As I approached, I saw a mum putting two young children to sleep in the back, then she got in the front and put the seat down for herself.

“I spoke to Wendy Coe who used to run Rosies about it and she said that quite often in domestic violence cases, they grab the kids, they grab the car keys and then they have nowhere else to go but on the streets.”

Today, the fastest-growing group of homeless people or about to be homeless, are women over 55, who are divorced or domestic violence victims.

Often they don't have any savings or superannuation and, basically, have very little money to live on.

This is where the Gold Coast Vinnies CEO Sleepout comes in. "The key for the funds we raise is that it goes directly into housing," Colin explains.

“The first money we spent was on a building in Hicks St Southport for the Cornerstone Program, which is the early intervention and prevention of homelessness.

“They quickly outgrew the premises, so it was sold and the money was used to convert an existing building at Arundel into six apartments for women over 55, which opened in July 2020.”

Another critical project is based in two buildings in Railway St, Southport.

“One has been converted into a big Vinnies store, and the other one has become The Hub, which is the first of its kind in Queensland.

Vinnies CEO Sleepout Gold Coast

Date: Thursday 23 June 2022 at 5.30 pm Location: CBUS Super Stadium, Centrelink Place, Robina

Living on the Gold Coast should be paradise, but for many Queenslanders it’s the opposite.

The economic downturn over the last 12 months has seen many people – including young children – sleeping rough for the first time ever.

The pandemic has meant more Australians are at risk of homelessness than we’ve seen for a very long time.

They need you to lead with empathy and stand up for vulnerable people who don’t otherwise have a voice.

Now's your chance to support people at risk of or experiencing homelessness.

Sign up to your Vinnies CEO Sleepout, start raising money and help bring an end to homelessness in our city.

One night of your life will be life-changing for so many.

Do you have any questions? Your local event coordinator is happy to help. Phone 07 5665 3303 or email goldcoast@ceosleepout.org.au ceosleepout.org.au

“In there, they’ve got seven agencies providing support so if you are or are about to be homeless you can get legal advice, housing assistance, families back on track, Centrelink assistance, etc.

“That is a really practical support mechanism and we contributed part of that,” Colin says proudly.

But that is not the end of the vision … the next initiative is aimed at helping even more people overcome homelessness.

“What we have now is very exciting,” Colin admits.

“There’s a block of land in Nerang that Vinnies are in the process of purchasing.

“It has a D.A. for 40 apartments but Vinnies plan to increase that to 60.

“If we, through the sleepout, could get that up and running we would know we have provided a total of 66 capsules of community housing through our fundraising efforts and I think that’s terrific.”

So what’s involved for someone wishing to take part in the 2022 Vinnies CEO Sleepout? What are the logistics?

“We target CEOs obviously … and we do that in two ways,” Colin explains.

“One is direct contact from me or my fellow Ambassadors, Karen Phillips and Jamie Preston, inviting the CEO to take part.

“Or, secondly, we get in touch with someone below the CEO who would love to see them sleep out in the rough on a piece of cardboard and be uncomfortable.

“Each participant has a link on the website where they can raise funds and find all the resources they need.”

The 2022 event will be held at Cbus Stadium on Thursday 23 June, with those taking part allowed to bring nothing but a pillow and a sleeping bag.

“We supply the cardboard, as well as some soup, a bread roll and coffee, tea and hot chocolate,” Colin says.

“Everyone sleeps at the ground, exposed to the wind, and although we have a cover, it's ostensibly outside.

“It’s not comfortable, I’d lie if I said it was, but we provide a programme of awareness and education, we have a guest speaker who talks about a key issue or area of homelessness, we have a Vinnies' client to share their true story, we have an auction where we offer some unique experiences.”

Which brings us to the cardboard bed …

“Every year, the boys here at Document Solutions make a bed out of our boxes and we auction it off,” Colin explains.

“It’s actually a mattress covered in cardboard with a cardboard base, head and foot, but it does provide relative comfort for the night.

“Last year it went for around $2,500, which was a great result.”

With preparations well underway for the 2022 Vinnies CEO Sleepout, Colin has a very clear message for everyone regarding homelessness on the Gold Coast.

“I suppose the awareness of the problem is one thing, what can you do about it is another.

“I would love to see more CEOs joining us.

“And if you are not a CEO or you don't want to sleep out, be sure to make a contribution to somebody who is taking part.” "You can sign up to join the 200+ Gold Coast CEOs or donate online at ceosleepout.org.au."

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NICE ICE BABY

As autumn morphs into winter, it’s time to add a little ice white, shimmery silver and chilled aqua to your accessories collection.

Max Mara

Crew-neck cotton yarn jumper with central M monogram. RRP $1,180 maxmara.com Breitling

Superocean Heritage ’57 Pastel Paradise Capsule Collection watch. P.O.A. breitling.com/au

Hermès

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