2026 Vinnies CEO Sleepout

This June, I'm sleeping on cardboard.

On Thursday 18 June, I'll be at The Amphitheatre, Roma Street Parkland, taking part in the 2026 Vinnies CEO Sleepout. One night. A sleeping bag. Cardboard between me and the ground.

Not as a stunt. Not for a photo opportunity. Because the Vinnies CEO Sleepout asks you to spend one night with a fraction of the discomfort that too many people live with permanently — and I think that's worth doing.

Why this matters to me

I've spent thirty years in construction. We build the places people live and work in. The irony of that — given what this night is about — isn't lost on me.

Homelessness in Queensland is not an abstract problem. On any given night, tens of thousands of Australians are sleeping rough, couch surfing, or in emergency accommodation. Many of them are working people, families, and young people who hit a crisis point and had nowhere to turn. The gap between having a roof over your head and not having one is smaller than most people think.

The Vinnies CEO Sleepout raises funds that go directly toward accommodation, meals, emergency assistance, and longer-term support for people experiencing homelessness. It also does something less tangible but equally important — it asks leaders to sit with discomfort for one night and think about what it means to be without shelter. Not to feel guilty about it. To do something about it.

What one night actually means

I'll be honest — I'm not under any illusion that sleeping on cardboard for one night gives me any real understanding of what it means to be homeless. It doesn't. One night with a warm sleeping bag, surrounded by other participants, knowing I'll be home the next morning, is not hardship. It's a gesture. But gestures matter when they translate into action, and action means dollars that go to people who need them.

My goal is $5,000. If you can spare something — anything — I'd be grateful. Every dollar goes directly to Vinnies and the people they support.

You can donate here: ceosleepout.org.au/fundraisers/bradeathorne15880/queensland

If you've already donated — thank you. If you're thinking about it, now is the time. And if you know someone who might want to participate in future, the Vinnies CEO Sleepout is worth looking into.

See you on the other side of 18 June.

Brad Eathorne — Co-Founder & Director, bryr.