Spend the night sleeping under the stars at Derbyshire County cricket club - and raise money for the homeless
Last year’s event raised just under £30,000 which enabled the charity to support those who need help the most
A Derby charity is raising awareness for homelessness by encouraging local people to sleep out for one night so others don’t have to.
YMCA Derbyshire is calling on people across Derbyshire to come together for its Sleep Easy charity event and spend a night sleeping under the stars to support local people most in need.
Anyone can take part, from individuals and businesses to community groups.
Past participants include the University of Derby, Maber Architects, Marketing Derby, Cosy Direct, and more.
The myriad businesses congregating in one area means, that in addition to its key focus of fundraising, the night could also serve as an ‘unusual’ networking event.
When is the Sleep Easy YMCA charity event?
YMCA Derbyshire’s event will take place at the Incora County Ground home of Derbyshire County Cricket Club on Friday, March 8, 2024.
Registration costs £10 for those in full-time employment and £5 for all others.
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Each year the event brings together around 100 participants who challenge themselves to sleep out for one night, so others don’t have to.
If you’re unable to make the Friday date, you can do your own Sleep Easy event.
This can be on a different day or at a location of your choice, just get in touch with YMCA Derbyshire who will be happy to help and support your fundraising efforts.
The YMCA Derbyshire branch is one of several YMCAs across the country that have joined forces to raise awareness of homelessness during the national YMCA Sleep Easy Week which runs from March 8 - 15.
The event will see participants sleep out for one night across England and Wales to raise awareness of homelessness and vital funds to support those who find themselves at risk of homelessness.
Last year’s event raised just under £30,000 and these funds were directed to YMCA Derbyshire’s changing lives fund.
This fund enabled the charity to provide a whole host of youth and community provision to enable those they support to move along their positive pathways.
Over the twelve months YMCA housed 272 individuals with 88 moving on to independent living, 61 entering formal education, 7 going to university, 74 attending a job interview and 59 gaining employment.
This year’s event will raise vital funds to continue and expand the work that YMCA does, including their new service Padley@YMCA Derbyshire which has been born from a merger of Padley Group into YMCA Derbyshire in July 2023.
Funds raised will enable YMCA to provide vital youth and community provision including therapeutic counselling, activities at Wilmorton community allotments, physical sports sessions, support entering work-based programmes and volunteering opportunities.
Padley@YMCA Derbyshire will be moving to a new Community Hub, where they will continue to offer and grow their traditional services for individuals.
They will offer warm meals, activities to combat loneliness and isolation, shower facilities and a community pantry, whilst developing provision to meet the evolving needs of our city.
New services will enable members of the community who are currently unable to access food provision, to use community kitchens to cook their own food for their families, have access to a laundrette alongside opportunities to learn through training and education and volunteering opportunities.
Gillian Sewell, CEO of YMCA Derbyshire said: “We are extremely grateful to every individual, family and business that gets behind our Sleep Easy events, either through participating or sponsoring others to do so.
“It is truly down to the funds raised at events such as this, that we can achieve such positive outcomes for the people we serve.
“With the emerging cost-of-living crisis, we are seeing a significant increase in those experiencing poverty and or at risk of homelessness we are hoping to make Sleep Easy 2024 our biggest event yet, but we need your help.
“We urge individuals, families and businesses to come together and spend one night sleeping out so others don’t have to.
“We often say it’s the most unusual networking event you’ll attend all year.
“One night really can make a life time difference to those who need it most”.
People interested in taking part in YMCA Derbyshire’s Sleep Easy can find out more by visiting their website by clicking here.