Arun chairman and Littlehampton mayor live on the streets for 24 hours

On Wednesday, September 9, chairman Amanda Worne, mayor David Chace and Arun vice-chairman Jim Brooks met at 7.30am for 24 hours on the streets of Littlehampton, sleeping in Mewsbrook Park.

As part of their challenge they could not buy anything – but The Arcade Lounge in Arcade Road donated chips to them, and a seafront café gave them leftover food at the end of the day.

Amanda came up with the idea to put the issue of homelessness back in the public eye with the colder weather approaching, adding that the numbers of homeless people had rebounded as lockdown eased.

She said it was ‘humbling’ to hear the life stories of the street community. One such moving account came from a former teacher who said he cared for his terminally ill mother until she died, but was then kicked out by his father and fell through the cracks of society before spending six months living on Climping Beach followed by a massive stroke.

The trio wandered the town, including Littlehampton High Street, where they stayed until 9.30pm. But David said they found it ‘a bit daunting’ so moved on to the park, where they slept on the ground with cardboard boxes and little more than the clothes on their backs.

David said: “We felt how hard a concrete floor is. It was damned uncomfortable and we only got about two hours sleep, but that was all part of the experience.” He added that he found it ‘eye-opening’: “Homelessness can happen to anyone – apart from the Queen.”

For Amanda, the experience was especially difficult as a wheelchair user.

But apart from a disabled toilet being left unlocked, the three councillors received no other help.

In the morning, the trio went to the Turning Tides homeless charity’s newly opened community hub at United Church in the High Street for a bacon sandwich – and pledged to volunteer there to repay them.

The mayor said they planned to also work with the Stonepillow charity – which Amanda’s father helped to start.