Appeal for Sleepout volunteers

Birmingham City Mission is appealing for volunteers to spend next Friday night, 26 February, in a cardboard box in their garden in order to raise much-needed funds for its work among the city’s homeless and marginalised population. For the past ten years, BCM has organised a sponsored Sleepout in the Clock Tower Car Park. Typically 100 people, ranging from seven to 75 years of age, have taken part in BCM’s biggest single annual fundraising event. In 2021, due to ongoing Covid-19 lockdown restrictions, the Sleepout will have to take place in isolation, with individuals or family groups spending the night outdoors in their own garden or back yard. Because this year’s Sleepout is necessarily a private event, participants are able to choose an alternative night before the end of February, if it better suits their diary commitments.

All money raised from the sponsored Sleepout will be used among Birmingham’s homeless population, either in BCM’s Care Centre or its Resource Centre. The Care Centre, which under normal circumstances acts as a hub in which the homeless and marginalised can meet others, build friendships, access medical services and receive food, is currently only able to offer warm meals and hot drinks. Every day between 40 and 60 guests with varying needs are supported in this way. The Resource Centre, which used to provide food, clothing and furniture, is likewise only able to provide a take-away food service.

For more information, or to register participation in the 2021 BCM Sleepout, call 0121 766 6603 (Extension 2) or email office@birminghamcitymission.co.uk, giving your name and address. Participants will receive a free Sleepout 2021 Participant’s Pack, full of goodies, tips and information. To raise sponsorship online, you can set up your own fundraising page on the give.net website (Link HERE). BCM’s Sleepout 2021 is set up as an organised project, so once you’ve created an account and signed in on that website, create a page, support Birmingham City Mission and choose ‘BCM’s Sleepout In Your Garden’ in the ‘Which project?’ section.

To find out more about the 2021 BCM Sleepout, click HERE. For information about BCM’s Care Centre, follow THIS LINK and for its Resource Centre follow THIS LINK.