IN PICTURES: Best turnout since the pandemic for the Hope Centre’s well-renowned Big Sleep Out

It was the best turnout since the start of the pandemic for the Hope Centre’s well-renowned Big Sleep Out, which is the charity’s biggest fundraiser each year.

The thirteenth annual event took place on Saturday evening (February 3) and it gave attendees the chance to see what it is like for those who are often left with no choice but to sleep outside – even during the coldest of months.

With rising levels of homelessness in Northampton and the opening of the Hope Centre’s temporary winter shelter, the charity was pleased to see so many showing their support to members of the community with the greatest need.

“It was brilliant,” said Kyra Williams, the Hope Centre’s marketing manager. “There was such a good atmosphere and everyone was in good spirits.”

There were nearly 300 people who took part – 70 on site in the carpark and more than 200 across the county in other locations. 111 Scouts did it together and many business employees did it on their own premises.

Kyra added: “It was a massive turnout, phenomenal.”

As the charity’s biggest fundraising event of the year, Kyra says it plays a “massively important” role in what they are able to achieve – particularly as a lot of people do not realise how much money it takes to run a charity.

“It’s a massive challenge trying to raise the money to keep the consistency going,” Kyra said, before proudly announcing the 2024 event has already “smashed” last year’s total – and the fundraising is still ongoing. More than £20,000 has already been raised by the Big Sleep Out 2024.

The marketing manager said: “People have been very aware of the cost of living crisis and are mindful of the impact it is having on the community. Everyone had something to say. We have seen record numbers at the Hope Centre, it’s through the roof.”

A focus for this year was to consider the differences between the one-night sleep out and the experience of those who are homeless.

The team got feedback from homeless individuals themselves – and they expressed that when you become homeless you often have limited time to pack anything, you do not get anything to eat, and you often get asked to move on after setting up where you plan to stay.

Another factor that Kyra shared is that Northampton, as a town, goes to sleep late at night and wakes early in the morning so homeless people “don’t get much sleep at all”.

The Hope team built that feedback into the experience, for five individuals who took on the ‘sleep out extreme’. When they agreed to take part in the different version, they did not know what was in store.

These five people were given 30 seconds to pack for the experience, they were not allowed to bring any food and were just provided with a sandwich.

Once they had set up where they were going to sleep, the team asked them to move on – and they were even woken up at 4.30am, which is often when the town wakes up for the day.

“It was very impactful,” said Kyra. “We all talked about the rising numbers, how hard it is and how everyone needs to come together and show support. There was a real sense of solidarity and support for the problems people are facing.”

Take a look at these 19 photos, from the Hope Centre’s thirteenth annual Big Sleep Out 2024…