For the last two years Jean Madden, a school teacher, has been supplying the homeless people of Brisbane with Street Swags – tough sleeping bags designed for outdoor use. Her vision is to lessen their suffering by providing them with warmer, more comfortable sleeping gear, especially during the winter months.

Tony prepares his Street Swag in the Brisbane Botanical Gardens

“I’m simply interested in helping those people that are on the street tonight. They are making their beds out of sodden, dirty scraps of rubbish, hiding from security guards in public parks and building sites. If Street Swags brings them a decent nights rest - we have succeeded.”

Since regular swags are bulky and heavy to carry, Jean, with the help of her mother’s sewing skills, designed a lightweight weatherproof swag for use in city streets that can be easily rolled up and carried. “The design doubles as a carry bag during the day, but converts easily into a covered bed at night.” Jean further explains her reasons for undertaking the project: “Because people who are homeless sleep on cement, it is very crippling, hard on their internal organs as well as their muscles and bones, and the sleep deprivation can also affect mental health problems.”

Jean Madden – Street Swags inventor

The swags are now being manufactured by inmates of the Woodford Correctional Centre, funded by donations and distributed through charities including Rosies street charity and the Salvation Army.

Jean has expanded her vision and is also approaching aid organizations to manufacture and distribute the swags for refugees and emergency aid.