Trace Fitzsimmonspell is sleeping rough for a night to help raise awareness and cash for a charity dedicated to supporting homeless people in Merseyside.

She will be bedding down in a cardboard box under a plastic sheet outside Liverpool’s St James’ Cathedral.

Trace, Wakefield’s service delivery manager at the Professional Services Centre (PSC), is taking part in a fundraising event for the Whitechapel Centre, which is a leading homeless and housing charity based in Liverpool that works with people who are sleeping rough, in hostels or in unstable accommodation.

This is the second year running that the PSC has supported the charity, after Gavin Carter braved chilly conditions last October.

Trace said: “Homelessness is such a prevalent issue, there are a great many homeless people struggling in very difficult conditions.

“I am extremely proud that probation works with some people for whom stable accommodation is hard to achieve, and that our job helps support them.

“Gavin told me about last year’s event and I was impressed by the idea and think that it’s wonderful for the PSC to back the charity again.”

The PSC provides a range of functions to Interserve’s Community Rehabilitation Companies, including working on the information provided by the partner organisations delivering the Through the Gate service for offenders preparing for release from custody into the community.

Trace said: “Homelessness is close to my heart, the probation service works with people for whom this is very real for various reasons. The PSC ensures that when we know a service user has accommodation problems we alert case managers to that.

“It’s not always possible to solve an individual’s housing problems, but our CRCs provide all the support and assistance they can.

“Having stable accommodation is one of the key elements to helping some people stop re-offending.”

Trace is taking part in the Liverpool Sleep Out on Friday, April 6th. To sponsor her, please click this link.