Successful Sleepout for SASH!

Last Friday we all took part in a Big Sleepout to help raise awareness of homelessness and funds for a great local charity Safe and Sound Home (SASH).

SASH offers support to young, vulnerable people facing homelessness from those on the streets to the ones experiencing invisible homelessness, ‘sofa surfing’. Their aim is to provide a safe and sound home and give 16-25 year olds a kick start at life with the help of volunteers and support workers.

The event truly lived up to its name with 100 plus volunteers gathering together at Bootham School.

We began with the team building a cardboard shelter – with the help of our very own Chartered Surveyor, Ben Hudson of Estate Agents Hudson Moody. After some great team work, and a lot of duct tape, our bed for the evening was assembled which turned out to be surprisingly comfy!

Everyone gathered in the school hall for a hot chocolate, some biscuits and inspirational stories from members of SASH and Tarnia Hudson, a trustee of SASH, about how the charity has helped young people facing homelessness get back on track and make a positive start in adult life. Some of the adolescents who SASH has helped were participating in the overall running of the event and were incredibly grateful for the big turnout and generosity shown.

We settled down for the night in our shelter, packed with sleeping bags, blankets, and pillows and slept surprisingly well…right through until 5:30am! Mary was wired on coffee so didn’t sleep a wink and so left to head home at 5am.

All in all it was a great team effort from all and we had a lot of fun due to the great atmosphere and real sense of community.  We have raised over £1000 as a team, so far! And we have been overwhelmed with generosity and support we have received. Collectively, as an event, it is totalling nearly £20,000 with more donations coming in.

We are so appreciative to those who donated and supported us, your contribution will make such a difference to a young homeless persons life. If you wish to make a contribution, there’s still time to do so here.