WHAT IS THE BIG SLEEP OUT?

"The Big Sleep Out is an event held at Ferry Meadows where for one night we will sleep rough. It is not a full ‘homeless experience’ but it’s certainly an insight into what 2200 people in England face every night. It provides an opportunity for Hope into Action to highlight some of the struggles our homeless have to face and gives people the chance to experience a small taste of what sleeping rough on the streets might be like.

• One night to stand with the
homeless and say ‘you matter’.
• One night to raise money to help
Hope into Action house those
most vulnerable in our city.

There are far more factors to homelessness than not having a place to stay. A home is not just a physical space. A home provides roots, identity, a sense of belonging and a place of emotional wellbeing. Homelessness is about the loss of all of these. It is an isolating and destructive experience and homeless people are some of the most vulnerable and socially excluded in our society.

There is currently an estimated figure of 400,000 hidden homeless in the UK. Once someone becomes homeless it is very difficult for them to get back out of it for a number of complex and overlapping reasons. They can no longer claim any benefit due to not having a home address. They may become involved in drugs or alcohol to relieve boredom, deal with the cold, enable them to sleep and deal with the circumstances that caused them to be homeless in the first place. However the main cause of homelessness is relationship breakdown. That’s why at Hope into Action, as well as providing a safe and well equipped home in a good area, we also provide practical and emotional support."
- all taken from HIA promotional material

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.