Big Sleep Out has Big Impact

See Photos & Films of the Night Here
Read Sleepers' Reactions Here

Through all your amazing support
The Big Sleep Out 2009 has raised a wonderful
£36,000
for our work with the homeless in Hampshire.

On behalf of Winchester Churches Nightshelter and Trinity Winchester, thank you very much to all Big Sleepers who took part and their generous sponsors. You all made it a very memorable event with lasting impact, and both charities have received a huge boost in both financial and operational terms for their work with the homeless. Some of the new initiatives you will hear about in the coming months will be due to the generosity of your support for the Big Sleep Out. Prizes have been kindly donated by local businesses for the teams and individuals who raised the most sponsorship by 1st June - please see a list of our Top Fundraising Teams and Individuals here. Thank you all so much for your support.

We would love everybody who supported the Sleep Out to stay involved with our work and hope you might consider joining our team of volunteers on a regular or occasional basis - both charities are in great need of more volunteers at the moment: the Nightshelter for daytime cleaners, evening help in the kitchen and overnight sleepers, and Trinity for daytime help at the Durngate Centre. To discuss volunteering opportunities at the Nightshelter please telephone Michele Price (Manager) on: 01962 862050 (see: www.wcns.org.uk). To discuss volunteering opportunities at the Trinity Centre please telephone Michelle Gardner (Chief Executive) on: 01962 842827 (see: www.trinitywinchester.org.uk).

'It was very striking to see hundreds of people, from students to pensioners, preparing to 'sleep out' in, around and within the Cathedral on what was not a warm and dry night! - and all to support the work with and for Homeless people of the Nightshelter and the Trinity Centre, and to learn more about the difficulties, and the needs of people who find themselves, often with a shocking suddenness, in this position."
The Rt Revd Michael Scott-Joynt, the Bishop of Winchester

'It was inspiring to see the Cathedral and the Close taken over for the night by people concerned with the plight of the homeless. Everyone came with a sense of adventure and open to being in this enterprise together. For those of us who slept outside, being woken by the rain at 4am brought a touch of reality to the occasion!’
The Very Revd James Atwell, Dean of Winchester

Nearly 400 sponsored sleepers took part in The Big Sleep Out on Friday night at Winchester Cathedral, in one of Hampshire’s biggest fundraising events to raise awareness of the plight of the homeless. Many slept out all night in the rain in the Cathedral Close, decked in cardboard boxes. Others slept under cover on the cold stone floor of the Cathedral, with rows of sleepers lining the aisles, and with the Cathedral’s excellent acoustics not helping the snorers! Most managed just a few hours sleep and all were grateful it was just for one night and there was a bath and a home at the end.

Dean James Atwell, the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Winchester, Canon Roly Riem, and broadcasters Ed Mitchell and Debbie Thrower could be found sleeping out with teams from schools, churches, the cathedral, Winchester and Bournemouth universities, pubs, councils, political offices, youth groups, and families. The Big Sleepers, aged between 10 and 80 years old, came from across Hampshire - mostly from Winchester and surrounding towns and villages, but also from Basingstoke, Chandlers Ford, Southampton and even Essex. Bishop Michael welcomed the sleepers, and a series of presenters included Derek, homeless until a few weeks ago, who recounted how Winchester Nightshelter, Keystone and Trinity had helped him back on his feet - now with a job and a home he was glad to leave the Big Sleepers to it and get back to his own bed for the night.

‘Nobody felt they were really experiencing what it was like to be homeless or to sleep rough – when loneliness, lack of food, poor health and fear for personal safety add to concerns about when you will find a bed and have a chance to rebuild your life’ said the Chair of Winchester Churches Nightshelter, ‘but sleeping out for the night focused all our thoughts, particularly when we opened the doors in the morning to find three rough sleepers on the steps. The fantastic support we have had for this event has been a strong statement that people in and around Winchester recognise homelessness as a major issue that needs to be addressed - and that they want to help. We are especially grateful to the Dean and Chapter for so warmly welcoming us to the Cathedral, and indeed for joining us as sleepers’.

The Sleep Out was organised by and in support of the homeless charities Winchester Churches Nightshelter and Trinity Winchester. Both these charities working for the homeless are extremely stretched by the high demand for their services and really need your help - most importantly so do their guests, and those who still sleep rough on our streets or are the hidden ‘sofa-surfing’ homeless. If you would still like to make a contribution, you can. Please just make your donation directly to the charities. Thank you very much for your generosity and support.

You can also still Buy Special Edition Big Sleep Out T-shirts here.

If you missed out on sleeping out this year, please join us at the next Big Sleep Out - probably in 2 or 3 years.

 Any enquires and sponsorship donations to:
The Big Sleep Out Office, c/o Winchester Churches Nightshelter,
Jewry Street , Winchester SO23 8RZ