Community fundraising night where participants sleep on cardboard to raise awareness and funds for local homelessness charities, run by Herts Young Homeless.
The St Albans Sleepout returns to Oaklands College on Friday 13 November, where you'll spend the night sleeping on cardboard to raise money for local homelessness charities. It's run by Herts Young Homeless, whose work focuses on prevention and early intervention — supporting young people before they hit crisis point. The night is about more than just the money, though; it's a way to get a small glimpse of what it's like to have nowhere to call your own.
There's a particular focus this year on 'hidden homelessness'. That's the kind of homelessness you don't see on the street: young people who aren't sleeping rough but still have no safe place to stay, often sofa surfing between friends' houses. It's a precarious way to live, and it's exactly the kind of situation Herts Young Homeless works to stop before it spirals. By spending the night on cardboard, you're drawing attention to the people who are struggling in plain sight.
The fundraising side is shared across five local organisations: Herts Young Homeless, Emmaus, Open Door, The Living Room, and Centre 33. Last year, more than 100 people took part and raised £27,763, a figure the organisers are hoping to double this time around. If you're up for it, you'll be part of a larger group doing the same thing, so you won't be out there on your own.
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Taking part is free, though everyone is asked to raise at least £100 per person. You can register through the event's own website or via Herts Young Homeless. It's a cold night for a good cause, and the money goes straight to the people and organisations working on the ground here in St Albans.
