One of Scotland’s top railway executives is to sleep on the floor in Glasgow Central Station to raise money for children around the world.
Alex Hynes, managing director of Scotland’s Railways, is to sleep for a whole night on the train station floor for the Railway Children. The charity raises money to reach young people who have no-one else to care for them.
The sleep out will happen tonight, February 9 with over 400 hundred people expected to take part across stations in the United Kingdom.
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Alex Hynes, 45, has been in his position since 2017 and will be joined by other ScotRail and Network Rail employees.
Speaking to Glasgow Live he said: “I want to raise money for people that are less fortunate than me and the Railway Children charity support children who sleep rough at train stations across the world.
“When you watch the videos of the work that the charity do it brings a tear to your eye and by spending one night on the concourse of Glasgow Central; I can raise a ton of money for people around the world who have to face this ordeal every night.”
The charity has raised just under their target of £150,000. Alex has raised almost £1,400 for the cause and he is “pushing hard today to get some more donations” before the end of his sleep out to hit the target.
The railway boss, alongside other people raising money will be taking sleeping bags, air beds and mattresses for the sleep out.
This is the first time the sleep out is due to happen since the start of the coronavirus pandemic and will be Alex’s second time taking part.
The Railway Children charity has been fighting for children on the streets at risk for 22 years. During that time, they have reached more than 275,000 children in India, East Asia and the UK.
Railway Children’s CEO, Terina Keene, said: “The Sleep out helps us raise awareness of the problems young people face and the work we do alongside the British Transport Police and the rail industry.
“Thousands of vulnerable young people are identified on the rail network every year. Often these children see stations as a place to go or hide and trains as a means to escape.
“This event helps us raise vital funds to help them and to keep them safe. We couldn’t do it without the support of everyone involved.”
You can donate money to the sleep out by the Railway Children charity by clicking here
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