{"id":62825,"date":"2025-03-06T09:28:13","date_gmt":"2025-03-06T09:28:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shefnews.co.uk\/?p=62825"},"modified":"2025-03-06T11:10:41","modified_gmt":"2025-03-06T11:10:41","slug":"firefighter-sleeps-rough-all-month-for-homeless-veterans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shefnews.co.uk\/index.php\/2025\/03\/06\/firefighter-sleeps-rough-all-month-for-homeless-veterans\/","title":{"rendered":"Firefighter sleeps rough all month for homeless veterans"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A South Yorkshire firefighter plans to sleep outside for the whole of March to raise money for homeless veterans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gary Devonport, 40, said he hopes to raise \u00a33,000 by participating in The Great Tommy Sleep Out by sleeping in his back garden, which supports an estimated 4,000 homeless veterans in London alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although the Royal British Legion Industries (RBLI)<\/a> campaign encourages participants to sleep outside for just one night, Gary\u2019s experiences in the armed forces pushed him to take the challenge further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gary said: \u201cEvery penny raised helps Royal British Legion Industries provide safe, warm housing and give veterans a fair chance at employment, no matter their health conditions or disabilities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gary served four years as an Infantryman in the Duke of Wellington\u2019s Regiment and one year in the Yorkshire Regiment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"Gary<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Gary<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Gary<\/figure>\n
Credit: Gary Devonport<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

He said: “I loved my time in the military and when it came to a natural end I needed something similar in terms of discipline and meaning.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Born and raised in Barnsley, he now leads South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue\u2019s Armed Forces Network, supporting the estimated 10% of its workforce with military backgrounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gary says the coldest night so far has been -3\u00b0C and plans to spend most nights in a sleeping bag in his garden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Gary’s garden, featuring a sleeping bag under a tarpaulin <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

He added: \u201cSoldiers are trained to be tough and to not ask for help. But that mindset can leave them struggling in silence and needs to change.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the Office for National Statistics, around 1 in 400 veterans reported being homeless, rough sleeping, or living in a refuge for domestic abuse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n