Northampton Hope Centre to host stay at home version of 'Big Sleep Out' to raise vital funds

A Northampton charity that is helping those most vulnerable during the pandemic has launched a new initiative to help raise vital funds.

The Hope Centre hosts an annual ‘Big Sleep Out’ to raise awareness of rough sleeping and money to help homeless people, this year's version of which was attended by more than 200 people.The charity has now created a stay at home version of the event, where participants are asked to come up with an inventive place to get some shut eye within their own homes so that social distancing rules can be obeyed.

Tanya Haji-Miller, community fundraiser for the Hope Centre said: “What we have been thinking about is how we can get young and old people thinking about the Hope Centre during this time.

“The sleep out is such a big event for us as we try to encourage people to think about how uncomfortable it is to sleep rough as a homeless person while raising money for us.

“So the sleep in is us trying to get more people sleeping somewhere less comfortable.

“We hope people will take it on and give it a go.”

The official date to take part in the event is Friday (May 1), but if the date is not convenient the Hope Centre is encouraging people to take part whenever they can.

From under the bed, to the kitchen floor the charity is asking participants to be creative with where they choose to sleep, as long as it is not as comfortable as a bed.

Tanya added: “The weather is not looking good for this weekend, so we’ll probably have fewer people doing it outside, but we want people to be imaginative and to think of somewhere quite different.

“And we want as many people to share pictures with us on social media or by email as possible.

“The more people can tell us the more we can encourage others to take part.”

Anyone who wishes to take part in the ‘Big Sleep In’ is asked to raise sponsorship money that will then go towards helping those in Northampton who are vulnerable during the pandemic and beyond as the charity continues to run its food bank.

“Like a lot of charities, we have had to postpone loads of the events we were due to hold, so we are not bringing in as much money as we want to,” Tanya continued.

“People taking part in this event is vital to us in terms of us helping people who are homeless and vulnerable and living in poverty in our community.”

Visit the Hope Centre’s JustGiving page and click 'fundraise for us' for instructions on how to set up a sponsorship page.

And do not forget to share your Big Sleep In pictures on the night.

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