Half Way Through a Cenotaph Sleepout to Raise Funds for Armed Forces Veterans

The Mayor of Loftus and Town Councillor Barry Hunt is almost half way through his bid to stage sleepouts at a series of Cenotaphs throughout east Cleveland.

Bonfire Night saw him snuggle into his sleeping bag at Carlin How as he raises funds for the Armed Forces Charity, SSAFA – formerly known as the Soldiers, Sailors, Airman and Families Association.

The 70-year-old Mayor, who also represents the Brotton ward,  is targeting eleven Cenotaphs in eleven nights to raise awareness: “I’m doing this for all the people in our forces that have come home with mental health problems and homelessness issues – not only the ones that have problems now, but also the thousands that have not had help in the past. We must look after them as all they have done is look after us,” he said.

After Carlin How he moved on to Brotton (Tuesday 6^th), then Skinningrove, Skelton and Easington before finishing in Loftus. On Sunday November 11^th he will attend a Service of Thanksgiving to mark 100 years since the guns fell silent in World War 1. He will then lay a wreath at Loftus War Memorial on behalf of the Town Council.

“I would be grateful to anybody who can contribute to my fundraising efforts, no sum is too small,” said Cllr Hunt. “I am especially grateful to workers at the Boulby Mine who have chipped in £250 to get the fund started,” he added.

Andrew Fulton, Head of Operations at the mine, is to meet Councillor Hunt at the Skelton Cenotaph on Thursday November 8^th around 20:00 to hand over the cheque.  Sponsorship contributions can still be made via the Town Council or his JustGiving page.

NOTES TO EDITORS: For further information please contact Peter Dodson, 07753 910536, email [email protected]; or Ken Ryalls, email [email protected].

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