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Our next Sleep Easy event will take place on Friday 8th March at Merry Hill Shopping Centre

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What is Sleep Easy?

Sleep Easy is a fundraising challenge event asking you to spend one night sleeping rough, all to raise vital funds to help tackle the root causes of youth homelessness.

You will receive two cardboard boxes to create your shelter for the night and although this isn’t a true reflection of how homeless people live, we hope to give an insight into how it feels to not have a safe place to call home.

A staple part of our fundraising since 2010, Sleep Easy has seen more than 7,000 people sleep rough to raise £2M+ for local YMCA services that help young people rebuild their lives. Each year we ask individuals, teams from local companies, groups of friends and students to sign up, join in and help raise awareness of what is a growing issue in the Black Country.

Last year alone our emergency Nightstop service has provided more than 1500 beds, and has had to turn young people away due to the increase in referrals.

What to expect on the night

Though the message behind Sleep Easy is a serious one, the night itself is always good fun.

We usually begin by handing out your two cardboard boxes to create your shelter for the night. If you have a team or friends or family with you, combining your boxes to create a “box fort” is an excellent way to keep warm and share resources.

Once your cardboard shelters are constructed and you’ve had time to get settled, we provide a hot meal and a chance to speak to YMCA staff and residents about the work we do and also network with other participants to see how they’re finding it. We have a number of entertainers such as dance groups, fitness demonstrations and other activities as a chance to jump around and keep warm. We also have stories of residents running throughout the evening as a reminder of the purpose of the event.

At around 11pm is usually when people start to retire to their boxes for some shut-eye. Some people choose to stay up the whole night, but we like to encourage people to try and get some sleep so they can get a small insight into what it might be like to sleep rough. Hot drinks are available all night and there are toilets nearby which can be accessed the whole time too.

We set up a ‘diary box’ where you can go and share your experience with the camera, it’s interesting to see how people’s perception changes during the course of the night as it gets colder and sleep becomes more difficult; this is when the reality of what many of our young people have been forced to experience sets in.

Those who manage to sleep well, usually start rising at around 6am, make themselves a hot drink and debrief with friends and other participants about their night and from 7am we tidy up the boxes and head home to reflect on the night.

Depending on how authentic an experience you want to have, here are a few items you can bring to make your night a little more comfortable

  • Layers of clothing (hoodies and beanies will be available to purchase on the night)
  • Sleeping bag / Duvet
  • Pillow
  • Hot water bottle
  • Hand warmers
  • Gloves / extra socks
A group of people of various ages sitting on the floor, surrounded by cardboard boxes at YMCA Sleep Easy
Mother and son sat in onesies in a cardboard box at YMCA Sleep Easy
Two ladies lying outside in cardboard boxes at YMCA Sleep Easy
Three smiling volunteers serving refreshments at YMCA Sleep Easy
Group of work colleagues smiling wearing warm clothes and beanie hats ready to take part in YMCA Sleep Easy

For Businesses

If you are a business, why not enter staff as teams to inspire a little healthy competition. There are also many opportunities for business to provide sponsorship of the Sleep Easy.

Please contact grace.maddocks@ymcabc.org.uk to register your interest.

Mother and children standing on a football pitch in front of cardboard boxes, smiling and taking part in YMCA Sleep Easy event

For Schools

If your school or college would be interested in hosting your own sponsored Sleep Easy event, we can provide everything you need to run and promote your event.

Please contact grace.maddocks@ymcabc.org.uk to register your interest.