ROHAN Braddy will remember this Thursday night for a while to come.
The Mambourin chief executive will swap his cosy bed for a sleeping bag and sheet of cardboard as part of the annual Vinnies CEO Sleepout.
More than 100 chief executives will spend a night sleeping rough at Etihad Stadium to raise awareness of Melbourne’s growing homelessness problem.
It’s the second time the event has been held in Melbourne after starting in NSW six years ago.
The CEOs will have to survive a night outdoors with only a beanie, sleeping bag, sheet of cardboard, soup, bread roll and a hot drink.
Mr Braddy agreed to sleep rough after staff at the disability services provider told him about the event.
He hopes his participation will highlight Vinnies’ work with homeless people and the plight of disabled people who are forced to spend their nights on the street.
“Sadly in the homeless statistics people with disabilities and mental illnesses are over-represented.
“In that way, there is an overlap between the work we do and the work Vinnies do,” Mr Braddy says.
While happy to help another organisation make a difference, he said
he was apprehensive about sleeping outside during winter.
“It has to be uncomfortable to make the point. Vinnies want me to remember that for one night I was unhappy and that there are people who do this every night in Melbourne. It is meant to be an experience.”
