Anstruther RNLI ‘Slipway Sleep Out’ for British Forces Veterans

On a cold March night, with overnight temperatures sitting at 8 degrees, and a mild North wind taking those temperatures to a ‘feels like’ 3 degrees, 15 members of the Anstruther RNLI volunteer crew, along with family members of the Anstruther RNLI ‘junior crew’, gave up their warm homes and duvets for sleeping bags and bed rolls, and spent a night sleeping out on the slipway of Anstruther Harbour.

The aim was to take part in the Royal British Veterans Enterprise (RBVE) Great Tommy Sleep Out, a nationwide challenge throughout March where people sleep outside for one night to raise vital funds and awareness for veterans facing homelessness. RBVE's Village is already home to hundreds of veterans and their families, and with support from this campaign, they can help even more ex‑servicemen and women move into safe, stable homes and rebuild their lives.

This is the second year that the Anstruther crew has slept out on the slipway for homeless veterans, as this is a cause very close to them. As amongst the Anstruther RNLI volunteer crew they have over 60 years combined service and veterans of the Royal Navy, the Army and the Royal Air Force, including a Royal Navy Able Seaman and a Leading Hand, a Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineer Sergeant, a Royal Air Force Flight Sergeant and a Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Flight Lieutenant. Therefore, by sacrificing their home comforts for one night they hope to raise awareness and funds for their former colleagues.

The Anstruther crew had a variety of sleeping options, which ranged from traditional bed rolls and sleeping bags, to small festival tents at the luxury end, and then the more ‘hard core’ boiler suits and cardboard for some of the senior members of the crew. Some sleeping options fared better than others and let’s say that some had more of a comfortable night than others, which was all discussed at great length after the Anstruther crew emerged in the morning for a bacon roll and a cuppa in the boastshed.

Carl van der Lee, Anstruther RNLI volunteer crew and a former Royal Air Force Flight Sergeant, said: myself and my colleagues sacrificed our normal home comforts and put ourselves through a bit of discomfort, for just one night, to help raise awareness for homeless veterans. However, as trained RNLI volunteers, everything we do is done with safety at its core. Therefore, everything had been risk assessed to ensure that we safely experience a mere insight into what homeless veterans go through, night after night; alone, afraid and exposed to the elements, without any refuge they can call a safe base. We were safe in the knowledge that we had our crewmates looking out for each other, so I find it difficult to imagine what it would feel like to this alone, at risk and exposed to what nature throws at you.

Tam Bett, Anstruther RNLI Station Senior Technician and a former Royal Navy Submariner Leading Hand, said: For many ex-servicemen and women, serving in the forces provides a unique work experience and camaraderie that is difficult to replicate in civvy street. Therefore, many personnel leaving the ‘forces family’ find the transition from ‘service life’ to ‘civilian life’ quite difficult. Unfortunately, it is very sad to know that some of our former colleagues end up homeless as a consequence. Therefore, if we can put up with a bit of hardship to help raise awareness and funds for our former colleagues, it is a small sacrifice to pay.

If you feel that you would like to help your volunteer crew at Anstruther RNLI raise vital funds for our homeless ex-service personnel, you can still do so by making a donation on our JustGiving page below. Anything you can give would be greatly appreciated by those that served their country with pride.

Carl van der Lee is fundraising for Royal British Veterans Enterprise

Notes to editors

The attached picture shows members of the Anstruther RNLI crew promoting their Slipway Sleep out in March 2026

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