Local businesses and residents are being asked to swap their bed for a sleeping bag for one night in November this year in an effort to raise funds and awareness for local youth homelessness charity Centrepoint.
The event, which will be held at Barnsley Football Club on Thursday 2 November, is being sponsored by the ASOS Foundation who have supported Centrepoint nationally since partnering with them to launch the Centrepoint Helpline earlier this year.
Sleep Out is a national fundraising event taking place in 14 UK cities in October and November. Proceeds from the Barnsley event will fund sports programmes delivered by Centrepoint and Barnsley FC for homeless young people in the town.
Centrepoint is the UK’s leading youth homelessness charity and works with more than 80homeless young people every day in Barnsley, providing accommodation and support to help young people to turn their lives around by gaining essential life skills; tackling their physical and mental health issues and moving into education or employment.
Louise McCabe, Director of Corporate Responsibility, said “As a Centrepoint partner for the last 18 months, and the largest private employer in Barnsley, ASOS is delighted to be supporting Centrepoint and its activities in the area. We’ve seen first-hand the vital work it does to help young people turn their lives around and are proud to be funding two new health professionals at its Barnsley centre and acting as the headline sponsor for the inaugural Centrepoint Sleep Out in Barnsley.”
Faye Edmondson, Centrepoint’s Fundraising Manager, said: “Sleep Out is a thought-provoking challenge that everyone should try. It would be impossible to replicate the true terror of spending a night on the streets with nowhere else to go – but you will feel the cold and experience the discomfort which homeless young people have had to endure.
“Sleep Out is a lot of fun but there’s a serious side to it. The money we raise will help support vulnerable and homeless young people gain the skills and confidence they need to find work or return to education.”
