HW Martin (Traffic Management) Ltd’s Operations Director Andy Graham joined National Highways, supply chain partners and Royal British Veterans Enterprise (RBVE) last week to celebrate the success of this year’s Great Tommy Sleep Out and present a cheque for more than £100,000 raised by the highways community.
The cheque handover took place at RBVE’s premises in Kent following a remarkable campaign that brought together colleagues from across the highways sector to support veterans experiencing homelessness.
Earlier this year, Andy Graham was invited to become an event sponsor for the Great Tommy Sleep Out alongside Andrew Stephenson of National Highways. With the support of Donna Dind, the team engaged with regions, projects and schemes across the country to encourage participation and raise awareness of RBVE’s vital work supporting former members of the Armed Forces.
Their efforts helped generate significant momentum across the industry.
In March, more than 200 people from across the highways sector gave up a night of comfort and braved the cold to sleep out in depots, car parks, beneath motorway flyovers and on disused RAF bases around the country. The events raised awareness of the challenges faced by veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, while generating vital funds to support RBVE’s programmes.
Collectively, the highways community raised an impressive £100,413, demonstrating the strength of collaboration between National Highways and its supply chain partners.
Andy played a key role in driving participation throughout the campaign, travelling across the West Midlands, South West, Yorkshire, South East and Kent to attend events, speak to participants and encourage support for the cause. He also took part in five sleep outs himself, raising an outstanding £6,600 thanks to the generosity of colleagues, partners and supporters.
Reflecting on the campaign, Andy said:
“I would like to thank the colleagues, partners and supporters who joined me at the highways events. There was a great turnout at the Chairman’s Sleep Out in particular. I have the feeling places may need to be reserved for 2027 as many have pledged to return.
Most importantly, I would like to thank those who have sponsored. Sleeping out raises awareness; your sponsorship makes the difference.”
The wider Great Tommy Sleep Out campaign raised more than £2 million nationally, making a significant contribution to supporting veterans across the UK.
HW Martin (Traffic Management) would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who took part. Whether sleeping out, making a donation, sponsoring a colleague, helping to organise an event or promoting the initiative within local teams, every contribution helped make the campaign a success.
The cheque presentation marked not only a fundraising milestone but also the impact that can be achieved when organisations across the highways sector come together behind a shared cause.
Through the dedication of participants and the generosity of supporters more than £100,000 has been raised by the highways community to help RBVE continue its work supporting veterans in need, ensuring those who have served their country continue to receive the support they deserve.