Leicester charity appeals for guests to join its annual Sleepover to help provide essential items for local families in need
Charity Link, a Leicester-based charity supporting people in hardship and crisis, is appealing for guests to join its annual ‘Sleepover’ on Friday 11th November. The event will raise desperately needed funds to help the charity support an increased number of families struggling to make ends meet due to the cost of living crisis.
Sleepover guests will join members of the Charity Link team and other supporters to sleep out in its courtyard on Millstone Lane in the heart of the city. The challenge lasts from 8pm on Friday 11th until 8am on Saturday 12th November.
Due to Charity Link’s unique way of working, accessing funds from charitable trusts, every £10 raised enables the charity to provide £50 of essential items. This means that everyone taking part and raising £25 could actually help to provide a bed for someone in need.
Susan McEniff, CEO Charity Link, says: “We are seeing increasing numbers of local people needing our help, and this is only going to get worse as winter really starts to bite and the price of essentials continue to rise. We need the support of the local community more than ever to meet this demand and people joining the Sleepover will be doing something positive to help improve the lives of people who can’t afford essentials such as adequate food, heating, clothing or a bed of their own.
“There is no denying that is pretty tough sleeping out for the night, but we do try to make it as enjoyable as possible! We provide soup, hot chocolate and friendly chat and people who’ve taken part before tell us what a unique and special experience it has been for them”.
Those unable to join the Courtyard Sleepover event can choose to take part at home or at a venue of their choice. Previous events have seen families sleeping out in tents and children camping under dining-room tables to help raise funds.
For more information or to register visit www.charity-link.org/sleepover or call 0116 222 2200
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For more information:
Rachel Markham – Communications and Fundraising Officer, Charity Link
E: Rachel.markham@charity-link.org Tel: 0116 222 2200
Editors notes:
Charity Link was established in 1876 by local business people and caring individuals to assist those in Leicester experiencing poverty, hardship and crisis. In 1975 the charity expanded its work to include the areas of Leicestershire and Rutland and in 2012 it expanded its work into Northamptonshire to reach out to more vulnerable people in the East Midlands. Though times have changed Charity Link’s services are as vital today as they were over 140 years ago.
Charity Link finds funding to provide items to ensure that people in need have a decent quality of life and are not held back by circumstance, including food, clothing, beds, cookers, fridges and washing machines. It also offers help with mobility equipment and visual aids not available on the NHS.
Its unique way of working – accessing money from charitable trusts around the UK that are available to help people in need – means that for every £10 donated Charity Link can raise £50 – all of the £50 goes to provide items for those most in need within the local community.
Charity Link helps people of all ages, backgrounds and ethnicities, including vulnerable elderly people, the victims of domestic abuse, carers, those with a physical or mental health issue, disabled people and low-income families struggling to make ends meet.
Charity Link helps over 5,000 people each year, a third of which are children and young people. During the COVID pandemic, Charity Link offered significant support helping over 6,000 people and distributing over £850,000 of essential items during the first year of the crisis (helping 6,481 people in the year ending 31s March 2021 and 6,520 people in the year ending 31st March 2022). The increase in need continues due to the cost of living crisis.
Charity Link launched its social enterprise, The Goods Depot in 2019 to offer a high-quality reuse and new white goods service to Charity Link clients and, through sales to the wider community, create a sustainable long-term income stream for the charity.
Further information can be found by visiting www.charity-link.org or by calling 0116 222 2200. On Twitter @charitylink On Facebook @charitylink
On Instagram @charity-link-official