A retired vicar and former teacher is sleeping rough in a church porch in Drayton, near Norwich, to raise awareness of mental health.
Revd Tony Lynn will be sleeping in St Margaret’s church porch overnight on Friday 11 July to raise money for MIND; a mental health charity aiming to ensure that no one faces a mental health problem alone.
Revd Tony has permission to officiate in the Diocese of Norwich and continues to serve the parish of Drayton. He says:
“I’m conscious that I’ll be away from comfort for a few hours. Those who need the services of MIND endure discomfort for so much longer.”
He is supported by Churchwarden Sylvia Barwick and Revd Marc Palmer, the Priest in Charge at Drayton.
Local schoolchildren have also been learning about mental health. At Drayton Church of England Junior School, the children have been taking part in collective worship assemblies about mental health. Members of the school council were happy to walk to the church from the school to help raise awareness of the sleep out.
The aim is to raise £500 for MIND. If you would like to support Revd Tony Lynn, his justgiving page is here: Tony Lynn is fundraising for Mind