Over 200 people spent a night at international cricket ground The Oval in Kennington, South London, last Thursday. Centrepoint’s Sleep Out has raised over £220,000 for homeless young people, and with more donations still coming in, this total is set to go up even further in the coming days and weeks.
Centrepoint invited the fundraisers to learn more about youth homelessness and the struggles vulnerable young people are facing, by holding talks with young people receiving support from the charity and front-line staff members, along with the opportunity to hear re-enacted calls the Centrepoint Helpline has received.
Bedding down on The Oval’s concourse, participants of this year’s Sleep Out were employees from Centrepoint’s corporate partners, including Selfridges and Rightmove. Sleep Out was sponsored by Barratt London and supported by CloudStratex.
Jenny Sym, Corporate Partnership Manager at Centrepoint, said:
“Young people are bearing the brunt of the cost of living crisis. But, the money raised will go a long way towards helping vulnerable young people turn their lives around amid these challenging times.
We are so thankful to all the participants who slept out for homeless young people this year and for those who continue to support the charity.”
The youth homelessness charity predicts that 4,300 young people in London will face homelessness this Christmas. While the latest London Combined Homelessness and Information Network (CHAIN) statistics revealed that there has been a 24% rise in the number of people seen sleeping rough in the capital. From July-September 2022 outreach teams recorded 3,628 individuals sleeping rough in London.
The charity’s Sleep Out challenges people to swap their beds for sleeping bags, so that less young people have to. The money raised will go towards Centrepoint services that provide homeless young people safe and stable accommodation and specialist support for their physical and mental health, as well as assistance in accessing training, education and employment.
