Sleep Easy 2012 - A Great Success

01 December 2011

It’s a strange feeling waking up from a light sleep, in multiple layers, a thick sleeping bag and a cardboard box. It’s a strange feeling being that exposed to the cold 5am morning air and sun. But it’s a nice, comforting feeling knowing that a warm bed is waiting for you. Sadly, some can’t share that comfort.

On Saturday 28th January, over 140 people across Kingston and Wimbledon all ‘slept rough so others don’t have to’ as part of Sleep Easy. They donned their woolly hats and gloves to raise money for our work with homeless people in the local community and the work of Kingston Churches Action on Homlessness (KCAH) and Faith in Action.

A Wide Range of PeopleExplorer Scouts, Police Cadets, Church Groups and local reporters took part, as well as the Mayor of Merton, Councillor Gilli Lewis-Lavender and her husband, plus the Leader of the Council in Merton, Councillor Stephen Alambritis.

Talking about the event, the Mayor of Merton said “I was asked to come along and open the event but thought I should do the whole thing properly. You need to experience something so that you can understand what people are going through.”

Councillor Alambritis added “We all fall into our comfort zones with central heating and duvets and amenities and we take them for granted. We all look forward to the day when there are no homeless people but in the meantime it’s important to support good causes and to support charities that alleviate the problem.”

DonatingYou can show your support to all those who braved the cold with a text donation. Simply text YLSW12 £5 (or whatever amount you wish to give) to 70070.

Texts are charged at your mobile phone operator's standard rate. The charity will receive 100% of your donation. You must be 16 or over and please ask the bill payer's permission. For full terms and conditions and more information, please visit:
www.justgiving.com/info/terms-of-serviceA National Event

A National EventSleep Easy is a national YMCA Event, with YMCA’s up and down the country running similar nights between January and March, raising money for their work with homeless people in their local community.

To find out whether any other Sleep Easy events are taking place near you, visit:
www.ymca.org.uk/getinvolved/events/sleepeasy