A RETIRED army colonel is preparing for an extraordinary endurance challenge when he sleeps rough overnight before cycling 140 km to raise money for homeless veterans.

Richard Winstanley OBE, an ALABARÉ trustee and former army officer, will take part in The BIG Sleep in London on Friday, June 26, before setting off by road bike back to Salisbury the following morning: Armed Forces Day.

The challenge begins at St Paul’s Cathedral, where 200 people are expected to take part in the first-ever public sleepout at the iconic landmark, aiming to raise £200,000 for homelessness charity ALABARÉ, which supports veterans across the South West and Wales.

But for Richard, simply sleeping out was not enough.

Richard is used to the riding gear now.

“I just thought the sleep-out itself was probably not tough enough!” he said.

“There’s a certain connectivity in cycling from St Paul’s back here to Riverside House in Salisbury.

“It’s 140 km, and I’ve got a good friend coming with me who’s not doing the BIG Sleep to help keep me awake. But it’s just to raise a bit more awareness, and hopefully more funds.”

Richard cycles through Lower Bemerton.

Richard has already raised more than £8,000 for the charity, which runs 16 Homes for Veterans, including supported accommodation for former service personnel facing homelessness.

Government figures suggest around 6,000 veterans are currently at risk of homelessness in the UK.

Since opening its first veterans’ home in 2009, ALABARÉ has supported more than 2,000 former military personnel, helping with housing, mental and physical health, employment and independent living.

Reflecting on the cause, Richard said: “It’s a great shame that we have anybody who is homeless, for whatever circumstance, particularly veterans who have served our country. Nobody wants or chooses to be homeless… this is our chance to help them, to raise some money and awareness, and to improve their lot.”

To find out more about Richard’s fundraising mission and to donate, visit https://www.justgiving.com/page/richard-winstanley-2