This September, Coventry will once again play host to a mass sponsored sleepout, raising funds for Emmaus Coventry & Warwickshire.
The large-scale City SleepOut event, organised by Three Spires Round Table, will take place on Saturday 28 September at Coventry & North Warwickshire Cricket Club on Binley Road.
Last year’s inaugural City SleepOut saw more that 50 people taking part, raising £2,276 for our charity, and organisers are now calling on local people to sign up for this year’s event.
City SleepOut Event Chairman Leigh Cunningham said:
“Coventry Three Spires Round Table is very proud to have hosted the first City SleepOut in Coventry. It was amazing, with a great deal of enthusiasm from everyone who took part. This year our aim is to grow the event and raise as much money as possible. We want people to come and experience how tough it is sleeping outside whilst raising funds to tackle homelessness along the way.
“It’s a great way to meet new people and gain a deeper understanding of the issue of homelessness.”
Emmaus Coventry & Warwickshire provides a home and meaningful work for 18 people who have experienced homelessness and social exclusion. Some stay for a while as they gain confidence and skills before they are ready to move on to independent living; others are in need of longer-term support and are able to stay for as long as they need to. Those being supported help to run social enterprises, including our second-hand furniture shop on Coventry’s Red Lane, to help fund the charity’s work.
City SleepOut participants will sleep under the stars from 7pm until 7am, with cardboard boxes provided for an authentic experience and hot soup available until midnight. Each participant will be given a City Sleepout scarf plus a hot breakfast in the morning.
Geraldine Tsakirakis, Emmaus Coventry & Warwickshire’s Community Director, said:
“It is sometimes hard to imagine what it feels like to sleep on the streets. With homelessness numbers continuing to rise, events such as the City Sleepout offer the chance to experience what it feels like to be out in the cold all night, with no place to call home. We hope that this year’s event will be bigger and better than ever.
“Every penny raised will go towards our work in Coventry and Warwickshire, offering formerly homeless people a roof over their heads, as well as meaningful work.”
Registration is £20; the organisers are offering free Early Bird places to the first 50 people who register before 28 July. To find out more and book your place visit www.citysleepout.org