A Warminster man has swapped his warm bed for a cold sleeping bag to raise vital funds and awareness for veterans experiencing homelessness.
Steve ‘Chalky’ White took part in The Great Tommy Sleep Out to support the Royal British Legion Industries (RBLI), a charity helping veterans in need.
For many veterans, transitioning from military service to civilian life can be challenging, especially if it’s sudden due to injury or medical discharge. The loss of the structure and camaraderie of military life can have a severe impact on their mental health. Steve, who works as a caterer at the Battlesbury Barracks, slept outside Warminster Town Football Club to raise awareness for homeless ex-servicemen and women.
He said, “Through my work, I have a lot of friends in Warminster with links to the armed forces. Some of the stories they tell about what they’ve seen, I can’t even begin to imagine what they’ve been through.
“Some of them are just 17 or 18-years-old and prepared to go to war and fight for us. It’s completely unacceptable how little support they have when they come back home. It’s wrong on so many levels.
“We should be doing everything we can to protect our veterans. The work RBLI does is so needed and I’m so glad they exist and run events like The Great Tommy Sleep Out.”
Steve put up flags which said ‘Lest We Forget’ and ‘Great Tommy Sleep Out’ by his sleeping bag during his challenge.
When the cold began to take its toll, Steve got a much-needed morale boost from wife Kelly, ten-year-old daughter Thea and their Romanian rescue dog Gru. The trio had made a surprise visit to deliver a pint of Guinness and a packet of sweets to the fundraiser.
When the morning came, he was delighted to return home – but also aware of how lucky he was to be able to do so.
“It was absolutely freezing during the challenge,” Steve, whose father served in the army, said. “But I always knew I was able to go home, have a warm shower and get into a nice warm bed when it was all over. I had the luxury of being able to do that, but so many veterans don’t have that chance. They are homeless day in, day out, week in, week out.”
According to government data, there were 2,110 homeless families with an armed forces veteran in England in 2022-23, a 14% increase from the previous year.
Steve is aiming to raise £1,000 for RBLI, which provides housing and employment support for veterans, particularly those with health conditions or disabilities. He has currently raised £735.
This year marks Steve’s second participation in The Great Tommy Sleep Out, a challenge he was first encouraged to take on in 2024 after a night out at the Fox and Hounds pub in Warminster.
In addition to working at Battlesbury Barracks, Steve is a well-known entertainer in the area, performing with The Covertronics and The Doghouse Duo. At recent performances, he set up a donation bucket for The Great Tommy Sleep Out fundraiser.
Steve has vowed to do the fundraiser again in 2026 and has thanked everyone in the town for their support as well as Warminster Town Football Club.
He added, “It’s not only about raising money, it’s about raising awareness of what is going on. When I first did The Great Tommy Sleep Out last year, I just kept thinking, ‘Why aren’t we looking after these people more?’”
“I hope I can play a small part in making a difference. The response has been phenomenal, and I feel very lucky that so many people have donated. I really hope I can reach £1,000 this year.”
You can donate at https://socialsync.app/fundraiser/cr-9mkx6dl4nvnrd or by searching ‘Steve White – My Great Tommy Sleep Out Fundraiser for RBLI.’
