Intro
Back in 2009 my Donors and I raised nearly £1000 to tackle children’s homelessness [see photo from rehearsal!]. I want to repeat this through CEO Sleepout in 2017.
Click on this button to follow me by donating now (thank you) or read on for more details.
Keywords for me are Compassion; Leadership; Changing Perceptions; and Making a Difference.
We’ve all taken wrong turns in life – some of us still do – so this is one way we can make a difference to those in real need.
Background
From CEOs to change lives in fourth annual sleepout at St. James’ Park:
CEOs from across the North East […] are signing up to spend a night sleeping on the pitch-line of Newcastle United’s St. James’ Park to raise thousands to support vulnerable people suffering homelessness in the region.
2017’s CEO Sleepout will be the fourth sleep-out that St. James’ Park has hosted. Last year, £80,000 was raised, making Newcastle’s CEO Sleepout the largest outside of London.
Funds raised during the sponsored sleepout in March will be split between Changing Lives, the Newcastle United Foundation, and CEO Sleepout UK, all with the aim of supporting people who are currently homeless and preventing other people from facing a life on the streets.
Last year’s CEO Sleepout at St. James’ Park raised £80,000 for Changing Lives, The Newcastle United Foundation, and CEO Sleepout UK.
The funds raised during last year’s CEO Sleepout event are currently helping Changing Lives provide guidance to clients centring around addressing financial issues that, if not navigated properly, would result in them being evicted from their properties and made homeless. The funds from last year’s sleepout are also supporting the Newcastle United Foundation and CEO Sleepout UK run initiatives.
Changing Lives – Client story
‘Richard’ had temporary accommodation in a Changing Lives project, he had lost his home due to drug addiction and was also estranged from his partner and children because of this.
Changing Lives supported him to claim ESA and also referred him to Evolve for drug treatment. His partner had lost trust in him, due to his drug taking but both of them agreed to relationship counselling. They arranged the counselling which resulted in him being able to see his children more often and on track to a better relationship with his partner.
Richard was really happy and settled with how his life was progressing and he was now on minimal amount of substitute drugs so they looked at employment.
They applied for jobs on-line together and subsequently he secured a job, initially he worked under Permitted Work rules while living in supported accommodation but they then secured his own accommodation in a shared house and his hours were increased to full time and they secured Working Tax Credit.
‘Richard’ has now moved into his own accommodation he is in recovery from drug addiction, he was promoted at work and is engaged to his partner.
Newcastle United Foundation – Rhys’ Story
Rhys Stephenson hadn’t worked for two years before working with Newcastle United Foundation – he now has a job and was this year’s Adult Learner Award – learn more about his story below
“What is CEO Sleepout?
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CEO Sleepout is a charity set up to fight homelessness and poverty. Our fight is funded with money raised by executives who sleep outdoors for one night to raise sponsorship from their business contacts and friends.
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CEO Sleepout was officially formed in December 2013 by Andy Preston after two successful CEO Sleepout events were held at Middlesbrough FC and Newcastle Utd FC in collaboration with Middlesbrough & Teesside Philanthropic Foundation. Trustees of the charity include Niklas Tunley of business law firm Endeavour Partnership and Martin Houghton Brown CEO of homelessness charity De Paul UK.”
Our Investments
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We’re happy to be a very lean and fit charity! We don’t employ any staff and nearly all the work relating to our activities is undertaken voluntarily by our chairman and his personal p.a.
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This means that almost every penny we raise directly supports the relief of homelessness and poverty. Although this charity is still young we’re proud to have funded lots of amazing projects and boosted the great work homelessness and poverty focused charities across the UK.
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We’ve worked with lots of different groups and we’ve been particularly close with charities Depaul & Cardinal Hume Centre donating £123,000 & £138,000 respectively to support their work with some of the UK’s homeless young people.
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Our biggest financial investment to date has been employed creating the not for profit restaurant: The Fork In The Road“
What I’m going to do
Besides spending the night outside on the 9th March, I’m planning to use my tent to sleep out of doors a couple of times before the event.
Hopefully that will provide some comedy value with tweets and some grainy footage of my experience: although not as harsh as sleeping rough, I hope it will help ground me in the realities of a Northumbrian winter…
How you can donate
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Donate with this button – or via my JustGiving page. Thank you very much!
