Sleep Out For Homelessness 2023
Sleep Out for Homelessness 2023
The Yorkshire North and East District Methodist Youth Team are fundraising for Inspire North this weekend by sleeping out in the cold January weather!
Volunteers from the York based organisation are preparing for their annual Sleep Out for Homelessness charity event on Saturday the 21st of January.
The Sleep Out for Homelessness event is in response to how passionately the young people feel about helping those who are experiencing or may be facing homelessness. It will see members of the community give up their beds for an evening under the stars, embracing the bitter January conditions across several campsites.
This is the second year in a row that the Yorkshire North and East District Methodist Youth Team have chosen to raise money for the life changing work that Inspire North does across the North of England to support vulnerable people experiencing homelessness, mental health challenges and domestic abuse.
We spoke to Victoria from the District Team about her experience of the annual Sleep Out:
“We started the event as part of the Big Sleep Out in 2019. A youth group said that they wanted to do something about homelessness, so we arranged to join in!
“In 2020, we all slept out in our gardens due to lockdown, so it was lovely to be together in our misery again last year. Joking aside, I hate this event, it is cold and unpleasant, and serves to remind me of just how privileged I am to only have to do this for one night.
“My hope is always that we can raise awareness of the challenges faced by people who find themselves homeless as well as some money to help support organisations like Inspire North.”
Sinéad Cregan Director of Development and Innovation at Inspire North attended last year’s Sleep Out for Homelessness event and is looking forward to supporting again this weekend. Sinéad said:
“I found the event really inspiring and was so impressed with the desire of the young people there to really contribute to making a difference to the lives of our clients.
“It was a pleasure to be there and to share more details of the work that is undertaken by Inspire North’s services especially those that support young people who are at risk of becoming homeless or who are homeless.
“I am really looking forward to this weekend’s event and meeting all the young people involved.”
At Inspire North, donations are crucial for us to provide the very best support for our clients. The money raised could contribute to our Internal Grants scheme, which is a creative way of clients co-producing projects or ideas that will enhance their services.
The Sleep Out event is raising money for three charities; Inspire North, SASH– Preventing Youth Homelessness Together, Carecent.
There are various ways to get involved in the Sleep Out, from boycotting your bed, sharing resources, or setting up your own campsite. Last year Inspire North Bid Writer Mark Bevan joined in by sleeping in his garden.
If you are interested in joining the Yorkshire North and East District Methodist Youth Team at the official camp sites, you can contact Victoria, at victoria@methodistyouth.org.uk.
For further information and updates you can visit: https://www.yorkshirenemethodist.org/district-youth/sleep-out/
If you are able to donate to the Sleep Out, please visit the Just Giving page here.