YMCA Bournemouth’s seventh annual BIG Sleep Easy raised just under £12,000 for homelessness in Dorset.
The charity’s biggest fundraiser of 2024 generates vital support for vulnerable people in Bournemouth and beyond
45 people from 19 different local businesses – including Bournemouth One’s Lorna Child – built their own shelters and spent a chilly night last Saturday sleeping under the stars.
As well as raising a total of £11,993, including Gift Aid, the event highlighted the harsh conditions facing the homeless community all year round.
To date, the BIG Sleep Easy has raised more than £110,000 to support homeless people in the local area and beyond.
Last year a study conducted by charity Shelter estimated that roughly one in 366 people across the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole locality are homeless, combining those sleeping rough with those in sheltered accommodation.
Philip Warr, Deputy Lieutenant of Dorset, and Dr Gareth Sherwood, CEO of YMCA Bournemouth, judged this year’s shelters.
Lorraine and Mike Stanley won the BIG Sleep Easy Trophy for their honeymoon suite, having got married the previous Thursday in Bournemouth.
To date, the Lester Aldridge team has raised the highest amount of more than £1,600.
Sheena Dayman, Events Manager of YMCA Bournemouth, said: “BIG Sleep Easy always makes me proud of the business community we are so fortunate to have in Dorset.
“The dedication, teamwork and generosity of the people who take part in this event is a heartwarming reminder of what we are able to achieve when we come together.
“I want to thank Talbot Heath School for providing the use of their premises for the event this year and SUEZ recycling for collecting the cardboard shelters to be recycled.
“Finally, a huge thank you to every person who participated in the event, and the businesses they were representing.
“Without their efforts in supporting BIG Sleep Easy, it simply would not be possible to raise this funding to support our work with vulnerable people in our area.”
Next year’s event will be the last business Sleep Easy for a while with Sheena retiring in December 2025 after 18 years of service to the YMCA.
- You can donate to YMCA Bournemouth’s BIG Sleep Easy 2024 at https://justgiving.com/campaign/ymcabbigsleepeasy2024 until December 1st.