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No fright night for Byte Night team

IT specialists at some of the North East’s leading technology firms braved the elements last weekend, all in aid of homeless young people and those at risk of becoming homeless.

Sudden downpours at 4am and the promise of Halloween witches wandering through the sleeping area in the grounds of Fisherman’s Lodge were not enough to put a dampener on the charity event.

Sunderland-based software experts Bond organised North East Byte Night on 31 October in aid of Action for Children (formerly NCH). Individuals and teams from the technology and IT industries spent a night exposed to the elements in a bid to raise sponsorship and awareness of Action for Children’s work.

Derek Curtis, managing director at Bond, said: “It was such a great night. We spent quite a bit of it huddled under umbrellas, and chatting into the early hours of the morning.

“We’ve managed to raise an impressive £4000 so far, but obviously if people would still like to donate, they can. Next year, I’m hoping we can double the amount of people who sleep out with us; I’d love to be able to reach the £8000 mark.”

Helping to host the event and even joining in herself was Jocelyn Maxfield, owner of Fisherman’s Lodge. She said: “When Derek approached me with the idea to hold the event in the grounds of the lodge, I jumped at the chance.

“I view the homeless in a completely different way now. No one would sleep outside and open to all the elements out of choice. We had the luxury of being in a safe, secure area whilst in the grounds to the lodge, but the homeless don’t have that. I hope the money we raised manages to help change this.”

Derek hopes that a large scale Byte Night can be organised in Newcastle in 2009. For more information on how to donate, or how you can be involved in Byte Night 2009, contact Derek Curtis at derek.curtis@bond-solutions.com.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .