Software Firm Urges IT Industry To Get A Byte Of The Action

Local software experts Bond are urging the North East IT community to join them for a night to remember, in aid of homeless young people and those at risk of becoming homeless.

If you thought the 31st October was Fright Night, you were wrong as now it’s Byte Night.

Derek Curtis of Bond in Sunderland is organising a North East Byte Night, in aid of Action for Children (formerly NCH), the charity that supports vulnerable and excluded children and young people including those who have recently left care or are homeless.

Byte Night is the IT industry's annual sleep out in support of Action for Children. Each year hundreds of individuals and teams from the technology and IT industries spend a night exposed to the elements in a bid to raise sponsorship and awareness of Action for Children’s work.

The event began ten years ago when 30 individuals from the IT industry slept out and raised £35,000. Since then the event has grown to extraordinary heights, attracting 270 sleepers and raising almost £400,000 in 2007 alone.

This month hundreds of individuals from the IT and technology sector will be exposed to the elements as they spend a night under the stars to raise vital sponsorship and awareness of youth homelessness and the difficulties faced by young people leaving care.

Large scale events are happening in London, Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh in October so Derek is aiming to get a minimum of 30 members of the North East digital industry on board for his inaugural event on Friday 31st October, in the hope that a large scale Byte Night can be organised here by Action for Children in 2009.

Derek Curtis is managing director of Bond, which is a Sage accredited software solutions firm, he said, “When I heard of the idea of Byte Night I thought it sounded great fun, and as a foster carer myself I think the issues of youth homelessness and leaving care are great to support in any way we can.

“The North East’s digital industry employs many hundreds of people, so I’m sure we can round up at least 30 individuals prepared to join us for the night, have a laugh and experience one night of sleeping ‘rough’ to raise money for charity.”

Linda McDonald, Action for Children local fundraiser said, “Youth homelessness is not restricted to London, and Action for Children is delighted that Derek recognises the problem here in the north east and wants to help raise awareness of the issue and support young people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. This event will raise funds to support these young people and we hope that the IT industry will join Derek and experience for one night, what too many young people have to experience every night.’

Bond’s Byte Night event will take place at The Fisherman’s Lodge in Jesmond Dene, Newcastle with food and entertainment starting from 8.30pm. You will need a sleeping bag and warm clothes for the sleep out, and the event will end with bacon sandwiches at 8am the next morning.

Ex-Sage director and now owner of Tom’s Companies, who run The Fisherman’s Lodge, Tom Maxfield said: “I am delighted to open the doors of the Fisherman’s Lodge to the intrepid members of the region’s IT community who are brave enough to be sleeping rough for one evening to raise money for such a good cause. We will lay on a hearty hot meal and breakfast for them, and hope many industry professionals get on board with this superb idea.”

To get involved please request your Sleeper Pack of information, by contacting Derek Curtis at derek.curtis@bond-solutions.com

And to see more about Derek’s journey with Bond, click www.ifwecanyoucan.co.uk/entrepreneurs/derek-curtis