NSW: Thousands sleep out in cold conditions

AAP General News (Australia)
08-08-1999
NSW: Thousands sleep out in cold conditions

SYDNEY, Aug 8 AAP - More than 20,000 people across Australia slept outside in cold
conditions last night as part of the Winter Sleepout to help the homeless.

The national Winter Sleepout event, raises money for city missions thoughout Australia to
help the homeless and disadvantaged.

In Sydney, 1,500 Girl Guides camped out at Taronga Zoofor the night, while thousands more
crammed the Opera House forecourt for the mass sleepover and a rock concert.

Participants in the event, organised by Mission Australia and independent missions across
Australia, are given only soup and a bread roll for dinner, to help them understand how
homeless people survive.

Among the other organised Sleepout groups were 300 participants at Adelaide Jail as well as
Boggo Road Jail in Brisbane and Fremantle Prison in Perth.

About 7,000 people across Victoria gave up their warm beds to doss down at football ovals,
community centres, backyards and parks as well as an organised gathering at Melbourne Zoo.

Another 800 slept the night at the Newcastle Showgrounds with smaller groups gathering at
Launceston in Tasmania and regional centres including Wollongong and the NSW Hunter Valley.

More than $500,000 is expected to be raised from the event, with donation books and money
to flow in over the next few weeks.

AAP nd/it

KEYWORD: SLEEPOUT

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