The youth homelessness charity SASH is holding a ‘Sleepout’ on Saturday 12 March 2016 at the CNG Stadium in Harrogate with the aim of attracting more volunteers in the area to support its work.
The Harrogate Sleepout is one of a series of events being held in York and North Yorkshire to raise awareness of SASH’s work helping 16-25 year olds avoid homelessness. Participants spend the night sleeping outdoors with just sleeping bags and cardboard boxes for protection from the elements and raise money for the charity’s work through sponsorship.
SASH offers accommodation and support for vulnerable young people with nowhere safe to stay through its emergency ‘Nightstop’ and longer-term ‘Supported Lodgings’ projects. Both schemes rely entirely on volunteer hosts who provide a spare room for the young person. The focus is on preventing homelessness, by ensuring that problems are resolved early on and enabling the young person to maintain their education or employment despite a crisis.
SASH has been organising Sleepouts since 2011, as an opportunity for supporters to meet SASH staff and volunteers and find out more about how the charity works. It currently needs more rooms for young people facing homelessness in the Harrogate area and the charity is hoping that the Harrogate event will reach new volunteers hosts to help meet demand. The charity is returning to the same venue that hosted the 2014 SASH Sleepout.
Garry Plant, Managing Director at Harrogate FC said:
We are delighted to have the opportunity once again to support SASH in this way. We wish them every success in finding more volunteers for the crucial work they do for vulnerable young people in the area who are facing homelessness.
We already work very closely with The Harrogate Homeless Project and Harrogate Lifeline along with our sponsors CNG.
Tina Firthlock, Community Co-ordinator for SASH said:
Our Sleepouts are always really popular and have proved very successful at raising awareness of youth homelessness in local communities, as well as funds for our work. We currently need more volunteer hosts in Harrogate so we are keen for as many people as possible from the area to get involved and learn more about how we work. We are delighted to have the support of Harrogate FC again this year and we’re looking forward to another fantastic event.
The SASH Sleepout is also supported by CNG and the charity is keen for other local businesses to get involved. More information and registration for the Sleepout is available online at www.sash-uk.org.uk or call 01904 652043.
