Jonny Warren is taking part in next week's Vinnies CEO Sleepout, but doing it in a way that reminds him of his own time sleeping rough on the streets, as a young man addicted to ice.

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Now a successful real estate agent and doting father, Jonny is a long way down the track from where he was. But he doesn't forget those days.

On Thursday, June 18, he will be joining other CEOs and community leaders sleeping outside at the Museum of Australian Democracy in Canberra to raise money for Vinnies. But he's taking his campaign a step further. Quite a few steps.

He'll be taking three days to walk to the museum, aka Old Parliament House, starting on Tuesday, June 16, from his home town of Queanbeyan and sleeping rough along the way. He'll have no food or money, just a sleeping bag and the hope he'll survive on the kindness of strangers.

He's calling it Jonny's CEO Sleepwalk. And he wouldn't mind some company.

"I don't want this to be something I do alone," Jonny said.

"If you've ever thought about the CEO Sleepout, or just want to understand what it really feels like, even for a few hours, come and walk with me, sit with me, or share a conversation. The more people who get closer to this issue, the more awareness we create, and that's where real change starts."

Jonny's 12-year-old step-son Harley will be sleeping rough on the first night with Jonny, keen to also understand what it's like to live without.

Now an ambassador for the Vinnies CEO Sleepout campaign, Jonny says........

© Canberra Times