Mark couldn't make it to a Centrepoint Sleep Out as there were none in his area, so he took it into his own hands to host one for people in his local community Three years and two Sleep Out's later, he continues to run the Bournemouth Beach Sleep Out! Read on to hear his top tips.
Why did you Sleep Out for Centrepoint?
It came about because we were living in Poole, and I went to sign up for Centrepoint’s Sleep Out but there were none in my local area. I had a break from work so had spare time to organise a local Sleep Out. So I thought, why not give it a go?
In my local town we see a lot of people rough sleeping, so it’s a visible local issue. Lots of people moan about it and don’t have sympathy. You either complain about those affected or you’re on their side, and for me, who doesn’t want to help people who need it?
How was it finding a venue?
I had a local business in mind that I tried but had no success getting them on board. So, I moved further up the coast and tried various options until I came across one whose owner offered it to us for free.
So, be prepared to put some effort in and be open to rent somewhere. However, when you approach the right place, they may give it to you for free. Especially a corporate venue that wouldn’t be in use overnight anyway. Find someone who believes in the cause.
I also wanted a venue that tied into a local theme, which is good for marketing and is something that people in the community can connect to. For example, ours was “Sleep Out on the beach”. Look for something more interesting - I wanted something exciting with a hook to get people involved.
How did you get people involved?
I was new to the area, so I relied a lot on social media to spread the word. I used some paid Facebook ads and also bought some flyers. I left the flyers in local businesses and cafes, and put them up in the area around where we held the Sleep Out.
We had about 20 participants who were mainly local residents. The youngest were students, but we had all ages come along! We made it so that everyone was welcome and had no minimum fundraising target.
In terms of signups, some people signed up in advance, but lots came in at the last minute. So I would say, hold your nerve! They will come!
What was the fundraising like?
The same goes for donations as for recruitment; a lot came in the day before, during, and after the event. As it came up to the event and people were saying “what are you doing this weekend?” people started to sponsor us.
We held two events, at our first one we had 15 participants and made £5,000!
Even if you don't have many people, you’ll still raise more than if it was just you on your own! People were very pleased they’d done it and also surprised by how much they raised.
What were your main takeaways from organising the Sleep Outs?
Well, we got some good feedback from those who took part:
“Nice to get the opportunity to meet you all, and raise money for a worthy cause.”
“What an amazing experience. What a lovely bunch of people.”
“It was so great, a mix of fun and being so thought provoking.”
Do you have any final thoughts for anyone planning a Sleep Out in their local community?
Do it! Start off with a small group of people and set a realistic target. It’s fun and a good thing to do and at the end, you’ll have the platform to do it again.
What’s stopping you?!
Want to Hold Your Own Sleep Out?
Challenge yourself for one night so no young person has to face homelessness alone.