Northampton Scouts help Hope Centre

Hosted at Northampton Scouts' Activity Centre near Overstone, and led by the site's local Scout Group (46th Northampton (Overstone) Scouts), the event saw 8 of the town's 22 Scout Groups participate alongside the 14-18 Explorer Scout age group, spending the night sleeping "as homeless" - no tents, just ad-hoc shelters constructed using cardboard boxes, polythene sheets, and tarpaulins. A total of 90 young people and 20 adult volunteers braved an unseasonably mild, but damp, night for the ultimate reward of a Northamptonshire Scouts "Brass Monkey" camp pennant, a hot breakfast, and the knowledge that their participation helped the Hope Centre in its worthy activities in support of Northampton's less fortunate.

The final accounting, received earlier in April, amounted to £2,897 raised from the event itself, sponsorship gathered by individual participants, and goodwill donations from supporters and well-wishers. The Scouts forward thanks to Smurfit Kappa Northampton for their support with a community donation covering the event's overheads, meaning all money raised by the Scouts could go directly to the Hope Centre.

The Big Scout Sleepout is one of Northampton Scouts' highlights of its annual calendar, highlighting both the promise every Scout makes "to help other people" and the opportunity for Scouts from all corners of Northampton to gather for a common cause. We're looking forward to next year's Sleepout already!