What will I be doing?
Swap your comfy bed for an eye-opening challenge. Join us sleeping rough for one night, and raise sponsorship money to help fund UnityMK’s vital work with people who are at risk and experiencing homelessness in our community.
When and where is it taking place?
Date: Friday 10 May 2024 to Saturday 11 May 2024
Location: Cranswick Convenience Foods, Steinbeck Crescent, Milton Keynes, MK4 4AE.
Our amazing corporate partner Cranswick Convenience Foods have kindly allowed us to use their secure car park for a third year. This enables us to have access to toilet and wash facilities, hot drinks and first aid provision throughout the night. This year we will provide croissants and pastries as a grab and go breakfast. Please contact fundraising@unitymk with any dietary requirements we need to be aware of.
Event Timings:
8pm – Meet at Cranswick for meet and greet, safety brief and tour of facilities we will be using.
9pm – Head outside to make camp in the car park.
10pm – Bed down for the night.
6am – Pack down and regroup for breakfast.
How do I sign up to take part?
To take part simply click the button below!
For questions or further information please contact: fundraising@unitymk.org
What will I need to bring and can my child take part?
Anyone who is physically fit enough to spend a night sleeping outside is welcome to join in. Children are also welcome to participate but must be accompanied by their parent or guardian at all times. (We do not recommend children under 12 years attend).
Kit needed: Cranswick will kindly supply cardboard to sleep on but please remember you will need a good sleeping bag, lots of warm layers, hats, gloves and a torch.
The health and safety bit: Although this event is very low risk we do ask you to be conscious of the following points:
1. Please make sure you are physically fit enough to spend the night sleeping outside on the ground in what could be cold or wet weather. If you are unsure, please seek professional medical advice before attending the event.
2. All participants must follow Cranswick health and safety procedures while on site including fire and medical emergency procedures. No alcohol or illegal substances can be consumed on the premises or during the event and no food products containing nuts and seeds can be brought into the premises.
3. Make sure you inform the event leaders if you feel unwell or are injured during the event.
4. Under 18’s must be accompanied by their parent or legal guardian to participate and they must be supervised at all times.
How do I raise sponsorship money for you?
The easiest way to raise money is to set up your own JustGiving page and link it to our campaign at JustGiving below.
This way we can use our own social media channels to ask for sponsorship for you, as well as making it easy for you to send the link to your friends and family to ask for support. If you need help with JustGiving or would like to raise money in other ways please contact fundraising@unitymk.org so that we can assist you.
Why should I sign up?
We are a local Milton Keynes charity helping people at their point of crisis. We support rough sleepers; sofa surfers; individuals and families in emergency accommodation or temporary housing; and anyone at risk of homelessness across Milton Keynes and the surrounding areas.
Our Welfare team work in partnership with a wide range of agencies and additional support services to provide dedicated care and advice. Services held at Unity Park Station include everything from practical help with food, clothing, sleeping bags, showers and laundry facilities to well-being and mental health support and help into emergency accommodation and employment pathways.
We need your help now more than ever with the numbers of people needing our services increasing with the cost-of-living crisis. We are now seeing around 250 people every week who need our support and we need to continue to raise vital funds to continue to provide these life saving services.
