Prince William sleeps on the streets
Source: Agencies |
December 23, 2009, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
A COLD alley in central London is a far cry from a palace - but it was the spot Prince William chose to sleep to highlight the plight of homeless British teenagers.
He spent a chilly night near Blackfriars Bridge last week with Seyi Obakin, the chief executive of British homeless charity Centrepoint. William has been the charity's patron since 2005.
"I cannot, after one night, even begin to imagine what it must be like to sleep rough on London's streets night after night," William said yesterday. "Poverty, mental illness, drug and alcohol dependency and family breakdown cause people to become and then stay homeless. I hope that by deepening my understanding of the issue, I can help do my bit to help the most vulnerable on our streets."
A photograph released by the charity shows William, 27, in the alley in jeans, a gray hooded sweat shirt and a knit hat pulled low.
In a post to the charity's Website, Obakin said the idea for William to spend a night on the streets - known as "sleeping rough" in Britain - was hatched in March.
"He was determined, as he has always been, to understand deeply the full range of problems a homeless young person might face," Obakin said. "For me, it was a scary experience. Out of my comfortable bed. Out there in the elements. Out there on an extremely cold night, with temperatures down to minus 4 degrees Celsius. And it was the same for Prince William."
Obakin said they found a secluded spot - tucked away behind garbage bins - and settled in for a restless night.
"But there was no shielding from the bitter cold, or the hard concrete floor, or the fear of being accosted by drug dealers, pimps or those out to give homeless people a 'good' kicking," Obakin said.
He spent a chilly night near Blackfriars Bridge last week with Seyi Obakin, the chief executive of British homeless charity Centrepoint. William has been the charity's patron since 2005.
"I cannot, after one night, even begin to imagine what it must be like to sleep rough on London's streets night after night," William said yesterday. "Poverty, mental illness, drug and alcohol dependency and family breakdown cause people to become and then stay homeless. I hope that by deepening my understanding of the issue, I can help do my bit to help the most vulnerable on our streets."
A photograph released by the charity shows William, 27, in the alley in jeans, a gray hooded sweat shirt and a knit hat pulled low.
In a post to the charity's Website, Obakin said the idea for William to spend a night on the streets - known as "sleeping rough" in Britain - was hatched in March.
"He was determined, as he has always been, to understand deeply the full range of problems a homeless young person might face," Obakin said. "For me, it was a scary experience. Out of my comfortable bed. Out there in the elements. Out there on an extremely cold night, with temperatures down to minus 4 degrees Celsius. And it was the same for Prince William."
Obakin said they found a secluded spot - tucked away behind garbage bins - and settled in for a restless night.
"But there was no shielding from the bitter cold, or the hard concrete floor, or the fear of being accosted by drug dealers, pimps or those out to give homeless people a 'good' kicking," Obakin said.
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