CEO Sleepout invites Portsmouth executives to sleep outdoors for a good cause
Portsmouth executives are preparing to spend a night under the stars raising awareness and vital funds for those in need, as CEO Sleepout returns to the city for the third time since 2018.
The event is set to take place at Fratton Park on April 27th, with organisers inviting members of the local business community to come and participate.
Bianca Robinson, Chief Executive of CEO Sleepout, said: “This is a business fundraiser like no other.
“Business leaders have the power, opportunity and responsibility to ensure they are active within communities and play a role in strengthening the fabric of society. This event is a chance for them to take leadership and make a stand against inequality.”
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Research from Shelter has shown that at least 271,000 people are currently living without a home across England, including 123,000 children.
Bianca added: “No city in the UK is immune to homelessness – you only need to walk down any of the city streets to see that rough sleeping is on the rise.
“That said, work on the homelessness issue in Portsmouth is heading in the right direction, with rough sleeping figures down this year – opposing the national figures which show that rough sleeping across the UK has risen by 26 per cent.”
Funds raised at the sleepout will go towards local initiatives working on the frontline to support those in need. These include Pompey in the Community, LifeHouse, Home-Start, Free to Fly and The Roberts Centre, as well as local foodbanks.
Terence Carvalho, Regional Director at Delivered Social, is set to participate in CEO Sleepout for the first time this year. He decided to sign up after hearing Bianca speak at the Shaping Portsmouth conference in January.
He said: “I’m so proud to be alongside so many incredible business leaders in our city who are helping raise funds and awareness for homelessness in Portsmouth.
“As a Portsmouth Ambassador and this year’s Shaping Portsmouth business award winner, I felt I had to be involved to continue supporting our community.
“Homelessness is a massive issue in our city, which unfortunately has continued to grow and has a great risk of becoming worse due to the cost-of-living crisis. We need to get behind CEO Sleepout to make our city a better place to live, work and invest.”
Since its founding in 2013, the charity has managed to raise £3.6 million through events across the country, with an aim to add £50,000 to that figure during the upcoming sleepout.
Urging people to register, Bianca added: “While participants may be cold and uncomfortable taking part in this event, giving up their warm bed and home comforts for one night will help them to gain a deeper empathy and changed mindset for people in the grip of poverty and homelessness.
“You will make a real difference and you could even change somebody's life.”
Those interested can find out more and sign up for CEO Sleepout here.
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