Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge residents are being invited by the YMCA to come together and sleep rough on Friday 13th March at a local event to support local, homeless young people.
YMCA Dulverton Group is one of several groups across the country that have joined forces to raise awareness of youth homelessness during national ‘YMCA Sleep Easy Week’, running from Friday 6th to Friday 13th March.
It will see participants sleep out for one night all over England to raise awareness of the hundreds of young people who sleep rough every year and raise funds to help YMCA Dulverton Group continue to support residents and young people in their services.
This year’s local event will take place in the Italian Gardens at Weston-super-Mare from 7pm on Friday 13th March to 7am on Saturday 14th March. Participants will spend the night out and take part in activities such as a shelter building competition.
Registration costs just £6 and participants are being asked to fundraise using Just Giving to encourage donations from friends and family in support.
YMCA Dulverton Group has hosted Sleep Easy nights since 2016 and has raised over £6000 in that time. Money brought in has helped to provide a variety of services such as: offering temporary accommodation, access to training and education as well as support and advice.
It is hoped this year’s coordinated fundraising week will help YMCA Dulverton Group raise even more funds as the numbers of rough sleepers of all ages continues to rise.
Martin Hodgson, CEO of YMCA Dulverton Group, says: “We’re excited to be hosting our Sleep Easy event in the Italian Gardens of Weston-super-Mare on Friday 13th March as part of national YMCA Sleep Easy 2020.”
“YMCAs across the country are holding Sleep Easy events to raise much-needed awareness of the plight of rough sleeping among young people, and we are calling on our local communities to get involved.”
“We know from our experience working in local communities that without the support we offer, many more young people would be sleeping on the streets and have less options and less chance of realising their potential.”
“Each year, hundreds of young people find themselves homeless, which is why it is so important to recognise every person that takes part in Sleep Easy is helping to combat this, and is supporting YMCA Dulverton Group to keep providing vital services to those most in need. One night out can make a lifetime of difference.”
Local people interested in taking part in YMCA Dulverton Group’s Sleep Easy can sign up to take part at: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/sleep-easy-2020-tickets-87106410619
Anyone unable to take part in YMCA Dulverton Group Sleep Easy 2020 can still support the group by donating to the Just Giving page here.
Last year hundreds of YMCA supporters from across England and Wales raised more than £500,000 in total as part of YMCA’s National Sleep Easy Week.
