News / homelessness
A sleep-out at the Memorial Stadium will support Bristol’s homeless
Bristol Rovers fans are being offered the opportunity to spend the night in the Memorial Stadium to raise funds and awareness of homelessness in the city.
The charity sleep out on Friday, March 6 is a first for the club and aims to give people an insight into the severity of sleeping conditions that many others have to face not only for one night, but every night of the year.
Each of the 120 participants will spend the night sleeping in stands within the stadium and will be asked to bring along warm clothes, a sleeping bag and ground mat. They will also raise money for Caring in Bristol, which have partnered with Rovers Community Trust for the event.
is needed now More than ever
The aim is to provide an insight into what it is like to sleep rough on the streets. The event will also feature a panel discussion questioning whether football can tackle homelessness, during which those sleeping out for the night will hear from people who have experienced it themselves.
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Ben Richardson, director of Caring in Bristol, said: “Caring in Bristol’s vision is a city empowered to solve homelessness and we achieve that by partnering with organisations like the Rovers Community Trust. This sleep out will raise valuable money for our vital projects in the community and empower supporters and club fans to help the nearly 2,300 people who are homeless in Bristol this winter.”
Participants pay a £25 registration fee and are asked to fundraise to help support some of Bristol’s most vulnerable people. The minimum target of £150 for each person could allow 13 people to stay at Caring in Bristol’s 365 Shelter.
Participants will be served soup in the evening and a breakfast of a bacon roll. Refreshments will be available throughout the night.
On completion of the sleep out, participants will be given a complimentary standing ticket for the home match against Sunderland on March 10.
“We are delighted to be working in partnership with Caring in Bristol on this year’s Memorial Stadium Sleep Out,” says Adam Tutton, CEO of Rovers Community Trust. “As the football club’s official charity, we look to help improve the lives of everyone within our great city and support those people experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of homelessness.”
For more information and to register, visit www.bristolroverscommunity.org.uk/memorial-stadium-sleep-out
Main photo by JMP
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