Students Give Eskimo A Go

Bristol students sleep in igloo to raise money for homeless charity Crisis

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Student housing is a more pressing issue than we thought: four second years have resorted to living in an igloo.

Thankfully, this isn’t permanent accommodation – the students spent two snowy nights in the igloo to raise money for homeless charity Crisis.

Snow-way! Life in the igloo…

Jess Railton, Adam Sales, Laurence Falconer and Mark Smithies made the igloo on the downs on Saturday, building the structure with Bristol Council recycling boxes and padding it with snow.

“It happened completely on a whim,” said Mark. They started making the igloo for fun, and only decided to stay in it when egged on by passers-by.

“It was a surreal feeling, to find yourself packing your bags and going to live in an igloo,” said Adam.

Students huddle for warmth in their snow-cave

The students went the whole nine yards, taking with them sleeping bags, camping mats and a little portable stove “to cook pasta” (and to keep warm, obviously).  “Friends gave us hot drinks and a random family gave us warm food,” said Jess.

Their night proved fairly eventful, with brief disturbances from a few foxes on the prowl and drunken students.  “We woke up at 4 a.m., freezing even though we were in really good sleeping bags.  It made us appreciate what it’s like for the homeless,” said Mark.

Questions were raised over the new student hall’s long-term viability

The group were relieved when their efforts paid off.  £400 was donated in the box outside the igloo whilst another £500 was donated online through their justgiving page. “Money’s still trickling in,” says Mark, getting them closer to their £1000 target.

So why Crisis?  “It’s a terrible time of year for homeless people,” says Adam.  “I just can’t imagine how tough it must be for them in the snow, what people must go through living on the streets.”

Icily done.

To donate, visit the group’s fundraising page.