Bring together a dream team of friends, family, colleagues, students or members of your community to put on your very own Sleep Out! It can be a fun way to raise money for a very worthy cause, while also helping you empathise with the many people for whom being homeless is a reality.

What do I do first?

Click HERE to register that you are hosting a Sleep Out, so we can send you handy tips and support along the way. We will also send you a link so that you can create a fundraising page on Just Giving.

Here are some other things to think about when hosting your sleep out:

Where will you host it?

At home

You can create your own Sleep Out event in your garden or at the garden of a friend/neighbour/colleague. You’ll obviously need to get permission from the owner!

At work

If it’s at work, you’ll need to comply with the Health and Safety at Work Act and have permission from the building manager. Your workplace may have their own procedure and template.

At school

Ask your teachers if you can host the Sleep Out on school grounds! They will be able to give you guidance around how you can make that happen.

Permits

If you’re sleeping out on private land, seek the landowner’s permission first. Here is a template for a letter you could use to seek the owner’s permission:

“Dear (insert name),

We are seeking permission to make use of the property location at (address) to run an event called ‘The Bromley Homeless 2024 Sleep Out’ from (date and time) until (date and time).

‘The Bromley Homeless 2024 Sleep Out’ is an event designed by the Bromley-based charity Bromley Homeless.

Bromley Homeless, is a registered charity (1186655) with a mission statement being ‘to ensure a community where everyone has access to a decent home, and no one feels their only option is to sleep rough’. The charity strives to make a real difference to the lives of the many that are ‘at risk’ in our community.

‘The Bromley Homeless 2024 Sleep Out’ aims to raise awareness about issues surrounding homelessness and to provide ways for people to contribute to practical solutions to help those that are homeless regain a place in society. Participants will Sleep Out for one night to experience what it is like to be homeless. They will also raise funds to support the work of the Bromley Homeless.

We hope that by raising awareness of this situation among people who participate in ‘The Bromley Homeless 2024 Sleep Out,’ we can help create a world where people are set free from poverty and are able to pursue lives of dignity and hope.

All funds raised during ‘The Bromley Homeless 2024 Sleep Out’ will be donated to Bromley Homeless.

We look forward to hearing from you regarding permission to use (name of address of site).

I can be contacted on (your details).”

Health and Safety

Consider the possible risks, accidents or legal issues about your venue – even if it’s somewhere you know well. Ensure you have the permission of the land/property owner before planning your event.

The best way to identify any possible accidents is to complete a risk assessment. If you’ve never done one, take a look at some guidance and download a free template. There are less risks if you’re doing it at home/in your garden – but consider what this will mean for you on the night.

Security & First Aid

Make sure all participants are safe and secure and that only they have access to the event space. You will also need first aid at your venue – e.g. a first aid kit, qualified first aider or volunteer support from St John’s Ambulance or British Red Cross.

Weather

As we all know, the weather in the UK can be awful – with rain never too far away! It is important you consider how your event would work in this scenario. We advise having a suitable indoor space if the weather becomes a more severe issue.

Our Logo

If you wish to use our logo on any fundraising materials, please email events@bromleyhomeless.org and we can help provide you with materials. 

Money collected

You will need to send your sponsorship raised in to Bromley Homeless after the event. See our fundraising page HERE to see how to send your money in if not via a Just Giving page.

Any Queries?

For anything related to your Sleep Out event, please email ian.scott@bromleyhomeless.org

Thank you – we hope you have a safe, fun and rewarding Sleep Out 2024!