People carry sleep out sleeping bags

London Sleep Out 2025

London needs you! Sleep Out this March, raise funds for our vital services and together we can say goodnight to youth homelessness

Our London Sleep Out is back at Kachette in Shoreditch, home of the original ticket hall of Shoreditch Railway Station, on 21 March 2025. 

Event information

WHERE: Kachette, 347 Old St, London EC1V 9LP

WHEN: 21 March 2025 at 8pm, until the following morning

REGISTRATION FEE: £25, groups of 4 people or more can register for free! Just contact us for the code at sleepout@centrepoint.org

FUNDRAISING TARGET: £350

What is Sleep Out?

A Sleep Out is an overnight fundraising challenge, with the aim of raising awareness and vital funds to support young people facing homelessness.

By taking part in a Sleep Out, you will not be replicating rough sleeping, but instead raising awareness for the thousands of young people in the UK who don't have a secure place to call home.

In the lead up to the event you’ll have an option to join a Whatsapp group to get more vital information and also to share tips and ideas with others attending.

What to expect on the night

8:00 PM: Arrival & Activities Open
Kick off the evening by exploring interactive activities designed to raise awareness of the challenges faced by homeless young people. Connect with fellow participants and get ready for a night of purpose and inspiration.

9:00 PM: Panel Discussion: 
Hear a panel exploring the intersection of research, lived experience, and front line support to end youth homelessness.

11:00 PM: Lights Out
Grab your sleeping bags and bed down for an uncomfortable, but meaningful nights sleep. We'll be keeping the doors open so make sure to bring enough layers to keep warm!

6:00 AM: Lights On
Head home knowing you’ve made a tangible impact in supporting vulnerable young people and driving change for a brighter future.

Hot drinks and light refreshments will be provided throughout the night and in the morning, free of charge.

Use the code SLEEPOUT at the checkout to get 50% off the registration fee if you sign up before the end of January!

If you would like more information, or have a specific question about Sleep Out, please contact sleepout@centrepoint.org

FAQs

Arrival at the venue will be at 8pm. Please make sure to bring everything you need with you as there will be no re-entry.

Activities will start from 8pm and the panel discussion will be happening in two groups. You will receive information on what panel discussion you are attending on the night.

Lights out will be at 11pm and people will leave by 8am the following morning. 

You will receive event information and a running order prior to the night!

The night will feature a range of activities and a panel discussion designed to give you deeper insight into youth homelessness and Centrepoint’s vital work. It’s a great chance to connect with staff, learn more about how we support young people and the challenges they face every day, and discover how you can get involved. 

Activities involve:

  • Helpline calls – Listen to anonymised re-recordings of young people's calls to the Centrepoint Helpline. Discover the vital role our Helpline staff play in providing immediate support and hear first hand about the life-changing impact of their work.
  • Bag packing activity– As a young person facing homelessness, you may have one minute to pack your bag before you have to leave your house and can't turn back. What do you bring? 
  • Awards cinema– Watch some of the stories of young people that received Centrepoint Awards. Hear their stories of overcoming challenges to remind us what we’re doing it all for.

You can take part in as many activities as you like throughout the evening. Plus, there will be a raffle with fantastic prizes!

At around 11 p.m., the lights go out, and the real challenge begins. You'll settle in for the night of discomfort. Don't worry—our team will be on hand all night, whether you have questions or just need a warm drink to keep you going. 

Kit List:

  • A sleeping bag
  • A roll mat or yoga mat, if you want to add a little bit of comfort under your sleeping bag- you will be sleeping on hard floor so please bring necessary items if you need more support
  • A pillow
  • Thermals, warm layers, gloves and hats! (If you hit your fundraising target, you'll be able to pick up a Sleep Out hat on the night!)
  • Comfortable clothing
  • Thick socks
  • An eye mask
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste, and any other toiletries 
  • A fully-charged phone with a torch- we will have some lights on overnight so you can find your way to the toilets
  • A power bank if necessary, there will be no power sockets available for charging
  • A reusable drinks cup or water bottle if you have one

Please be aware that there will not be a designated locked area to leave your things, so we would advise not to bring valuables, or to bring a smaller bag to keep valuables on you at all times. 

Our Sleep Outs are welcome to groups of all sizes. We have a mix of activities so that you can enjoy the event on your own, in pairs or groups. There’ll also be plenty of space for you to sleep next to your group as well. 

Unfortunately we can't allow pets.

We can, however allow service dogs. If you would like to bring a service dog, please get in touch with us at sleepout@centrepoint.org.

 

There will be lots of delicious hot drinks on hand throughout the night, including teas, coffees and hot chocolates to keep you warm, as well as soft drinks and light snacks, all free of charge. 

We will also provide light refreshments in the morning to prepare you for the journey home. 

Kachette is located under the railways arches on Old Street. Its just a short walk from Old Street Underground Station, Shoreditch High Street Overground Station and Hoxton Overground Station.

 

You will be sleeping within Kachette, under the railway arches, in an enclosed and safe indoor area.

For health and safety reasons, you won't be sleeping on public streets but we will be keeping all the venue doors open overnight and so it will be very cold and loud!

You will be sleeping indoors for a number of reasons:

Homelessness comes in many forms

Its important to recognise that not all homelessness is rough sleeping and not having roof to sleep under. In fact, 'hidden homelessness' makes up a large proportion of young people experiencing homelessness in the UK. Hidden homelessness can involve sofa surfing, staying with different relatives or staying with different friends. 

Health and Safety

By Sleeping Out in a an enclosed, safe venue, we can make sure to carry out the necessary risk assessments and provide the relevant security to maintain the safety of participants. 

Replication 

Sleep Out does not intend to directly replicate rough sleeping. Instead, we aim to provide a very small glimpse into just some of the challenges faced by young people facing homelessness. The evening aims to raise awareness through activities and panel discussions, as well as providing insight into Centrepoint's work. 

We have an 11+ age limit. Anyone under 18 has to be accompanied by an adult, and if you would like to sign up someone under 18, please email sleepout@centrepoint.org as you will need to fill out a consent form before attending.

We set a suggested minimum target of £350 per person, and the Centrepoint team will be on hand to support you to reach this. 

When you buy a Centrepoint charity place in an event, we ask you to reach a minimum fundraising target. The money you raise covers the cost of the event place and the administration fees we pay for you to take part. It also helps us to deliver the services we provide to homeless young people.

If you're concerned you won’t reach your fundraising target, please email us at sleepout@centrepoint.org as soon as possible. We're on hand to help you out with tips and ideas that will help you reach your target. We may be able to extend your deadline so that you have that little bit longer to fundraise.

Your fundraising will go directly towards supporting young people who are at risk of experiencing homelessness, or have experienced homelessness.

£20 could pay for a counselling session for a young person, ensuring those experiencing a mental health crisis receive the vital support they need. 

£80 could pay for a study kit, including stationery and a backpack to help a young person succeed in education or work.  

£300 could pay for a laptop for a young person to support their learning and keep them connected. 

£500 could pay for 10 personal care kits which include a fresh set of clothes, shampoo, toothbrush and a clean towel for young people who left home with nothing. 

Yes, it is possible to fundraise as part of a team, in fact groups of more that 4 can use the code GROUP at the checkout and get free registration!

Each participant will need to sign up individually through our sign up form, and through the form you will be automatically redirected to set up their own JustGiving page. 

You can then set up a separate Team Page on JustGiving, and link your individual pages to this team page.

 

Yes! 

When you sign up, we will be in touch regularly with fundraising tips and advice and much more information about the event in the lead up to the night! 

If you don't receive any emails, please make sure to check your junk folders.

 

 

Yes, some workplaces offer match funding! It’s always worth asking your employer to see if this is possible. If you would like to discuss further ways to get your workplace involved, drop us an email at sleepout@centrepoint.org and we'd be happy to discuss this with you!

Play video man lies on the floor

Corporate Sleep Out 2024

People listening to a panel discussion clap the speakers

Ready to Sleep Out?

woman sits on floor in sleep out sleeping bag
I felt it was something I could do (not a marathon!) for a very good cause.