People with Purpose: Richard Faulks
A Life of Quiet Leadership and Community Action
Each year, when the Canberra nights grow colder and the frost lingers on the grass well past sunrise, Richard packs a sleeping bag, layers on thermal wear, and settles into the concrete. Not out of necessity, but in solidarity. As part of the annual Vinnies CEO Sleepout, Richard joins a growing movement of business and community leaders who give up the comfort of a warm bed for one night to raise awareness and vital funds for people experiencing homelessness.
“It’s the least we can do,” he says, with a humility that marks every sentence he speaks. And yet, that ‘least’ has added up to something extraordinary, Richard has raised over $104,000 since he first began participating in the event. That’s money that has gone directly to supporting crisis accommodation, food security, mental health support, and long-term housing initiatives across the ACT.
Four Decades of Purpose
Richard has worked at Snedden Hall & Gallop for over 40 years, a rare tenure in a world where careers zig-zag more than they settle. “I’ve been with the one law firm for well over 40 years,” he shares. “I started my career at Snedden Hall & Gallop and I’m still here.”
Over that time, he’s represented many individuals facing significant disadvantage, people who’ve suffered injury, mental health challenges, and financial strain. “A lot of clients have been people experiencing mental health challenges,” Richard says. “Often what we learn is that crosses over into financial distress and homelessness.”
This exposure to hardship informed not only his legal career but his commitment to advocacy beyond the courtroom.
The Smile Behind the Stories
When you ask Richard about why he’s done the Sleepout for 14 years running, a smile creeps across his face, not of pride, but of purpose. “When they started the CEO Sleepout, we decided it was a good thing to do,” he recalls. “At that stage, Vinnies were actually next door here... we used to see them all the time. And it just became something that evolved from there.”
He talks about the hot meals Vinnies provides, their Night Patrol vans, and their Street to Home projects. “It really is a combination of all their projects,” he explains. “The way in which they offer hot food to people, and just that reaching out, I think.”
Despite the fundraising successes, Richard remains grounded: “A lot of money's been raised... and yet there's still a major need out there and it doesn't seem to be getting any better.”
Homelessness in the ACT — Beyond the Stereotypes
According to the ACT Government’s 2024 Report on Government Services, over 2,400 people in the ACT experienced homelessness for at least a month last year. More than 1,000 people were considered chronically homeless. These numbers don’t always look like people sleeping in shopfronts, they include women fleeing domestic violence, teenagers couchsurfing, and older people sleeping in cars.
Vinnies Canberra/Goulburn responds to this need every day. Their Night Patrol vans distribute hot drinks, food, and essentials directly to people sleeping rough across the city. Their Street to Home program works with those experiencing chronic homelessness to transition into secure housing with support. Through emergency relief programs, they provide food, clothing, and access to critical services. They also offer case management and referrals, supporting people to address the underlying issues contributing to their homelessness.
St Vincent de Paul Society Canberra/Goulburn CEO, Lucy Hohnen said,
“What these statistics show are the drivers behind the consistently high demand for support from community organisations like ours. We have seen an exponential increase in the calls for assistance through our emergency helpline in the past year. In December alone we saw a 40% increase in the number of calls to us for help. The majority of these requests are for accommodation support to prevent individuals and families becoming homeless and for food.”
“We are also seeing an increase in people in need of specialist homelessness services and our front-line teams and drop in centres are absolutely stretched,” she said.
The funds raised through the CEO Sleepout help keep these services running, ensuring that when someone reaches out for help, Vinnies can be there to say yes.
The Value of One Night
“It’s about more than the money,” he says. “It’s about saying: we see you. You matter. We care.”
“There’s not much sleep,” Richard chuckles. “You’re on concrete. You’re cold. It’s uncomfortable. But you don’t forget that others do this every night and not by choice.”
He prepares each year with practical tips, thermals, beanies, hand warmers, but emotionally, it’s never easier. “It’s confronting,” he says. “Because you know you get to go home the next day. You get a hot shower. Others don’t.”
“And if you are suffering from mental health issues, then you've got to cope with that as well.”
Outside of work and volunteering, Richard is a family man. He’s been married for over 40 years, with three daughters and four grandchildren. He’s an avid runner, a live music lover, and finds joy in reading, good food, and weekends away. “Running’s important to me,” he shares. “As I get older, it gets harder... but it also acts as something of a circuit breaker in terms of work stress.”
“I love reading, love music, love going to shows and that sort of thing — and live music particularly.”
“I don’t have all the answers,” he admits. “But I do believe in people. And I believe in showing up.”
Hope is the Thread
When asked what message he’d want someone doing it tough to hear from his story, he pauses.
“People care,” he says. “And you're not alone. Hope’s a really important thing to have and I think that a lot of our most disadvantaged people don’t have hope.”
In a world of fast headlines and fleeting attention, Richard Faulks offers something else, consistency, compassion, and care without expectation.
He is a person with purpose, not because he seeks recognition, but because he shows up, year after year, for the people and causes that matter. Whether it's in a courtroom advocating for clients in distress, or out in the cold raising awareness for those without a home, Richard leads by quiet example.
To show up, as Richard does, is not just a gesture, it’s a statement of values. It’s a choice to stay when things get uncomfortable. To stand beside people society often overlooks. To use your voice, your presence, and your influence not for personal gain, but for collective good.
His story is not about sleeping rough for one night. It’s about waking up to what community really means, connection, courage, and the conviction to keep showing up even when the problem feels too big to solve.
So Now We Ask…
What would it look like to truly end homelessness in Canberra?
How do we go beyond emergency support and invest in lasting change?
What if more of us, not just CEOs, showed up, asked questions, and stood alongside our neighbours in need?
Perhaps the next time you see someone doing it tough, you’ll remember Richard. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll find your own way to show up.
The CEO Sleepout is happening on Thursday 19 June and Richard is aiming to raise $10,000 to help fund critical homelessness services right here in Canberra. Every dollar makes a difference.
Let’s help him get there. Make a donation today: ceosleepout.org.au/fundraisers/richard-faulks-snedden-hall-gallop/act
