YOUNG people throughout the North-east are being urged to think about where they sleep – as part of a new charity campaign by Aberdeen Cyrenians challenging the stigma and understanding of homelessness.
The organisation’s annual Sleep Out event is a vital part of their calendar, encouraging people to experience homelessness for a night to raise awareness and funding for key services.
To keep people safe during Covid, the event is this year being re-launched as The Big SleepIN encouraging people to host their own version mini Sleep Outs on 10th October to highlight World Homeless Day.
Resources to help plan the events and support learning are being distributed to schools across the region, and community groups and businesses are also being encouraged to participate.
Emma Bellu, Aberdeen Cyrenians fundraising manager, said: “The annual Sleep Out is a well-recognised event in Aberdeen and plays an important part in supporting people experiencing incredibly difficult and overwhelming circumstances.
“With so many needing our help this year, we were determined to keep the spirit of the event alive, even if we had to make changes because of Covid.
“There are lots of different ways people can get involved in the Big SleepIN: from holding a mini sleep-out in their garden or creating a makeshift indoor den to sleep in for the night or doing a sponsored sleep-walk in their PJs.”
