‘Overwhelming Support’ for Rough Sleepers’ Night Shelter

The 18th March 2016 saw YMCA Lincolnshire & The Nomad Trust's annual Sleep Easy event take place at Lincoln Cathedral.

Staff, Volunteers and supporters from the local community slept rough for the night, with the aim of raising funds in support of a new night shelter for the homeless.

Sleep Easy is an annual event supported by YMCA's across the country, where sponsored participants spend a night making a shelter from cardboard boxes and experiencing what it feels like to spend a night on the streets.

YMCA Lincolnshire left their donation systems open for a month following the event, to reach their £10,000 target.

Joe Hicks, Marketing & Communications for YMCA Lincolnshire, explained how 'sponsors have been unbelievably generous this year; supporting individuals and the cause alike…'

Fundraising through sponsorship collected by individuals, as well as donations in support of the event, now totals to a phenomenal £10,314.43.

The main aim of the Sleep Easy 2016 was to fundraise in aid of the new night shelter in Lincoln, but to also raise awareness of homelessness, and encourage the local community to run their own fundraising campaign on behalf of the YMCA Lincolnshire.

'This year's Sleep Easy has been the most successful Sleep Easy that YMCA Lincolnshire has run. Not only have we reached over our target but at the event itself we saw creativity through art and music in aid of the homeless. We are overwhelmed by the support of the local community and are excited to start the next phase of fundraising for the new night shelter' says Emma Hume, Fundraising Officer for YMCA Lincolnshire.

'Choosing the YMCA or The Nomad Trust to fundraise for could completely change someone's life for the better. Whether you're planning a mud run, bike ride or cake sale please get in contact and we will support you as much as we can.'

YMCA Lincolnshire currently operates 129 units of accommodation, with The Nomad Trust's night shelter housing 21 emergency beds for the homeless. The charity also offers accommodation advice, supported housing for veterans and various other charitable and commercial services across the county.

In 2015, over 200 individuals were in need of accommodation within Lincoln; with the work of YMCA Lincolnshire & the Nomad Trust they support currently 152 individuals in accommodation and housing support.

The new Nomad Night Shelter will aim to provide a minimum of 16 en-suite bedrooms offering 32 emergency bed spaces, alongside 40 apartments over two floors for temporary residents. The build will also have a community café, meeting room, training facilities and a clinical room, to complement YMCA Lincolnshire's St Rumbold Street site located opposite the new build.

YMCA Lincolnshire merged with The Nomad Trust in 2013, to secure and sustain accessible tenancies across the county, as well as ensuring the permanence of Lincolnshire's only emergency access night shelter.

Speaking of the new build, Malcolm Barham, CEO of YMCA Lincolnshire, said 'it would also mean that the Nomad Trust would, for the first time, be able to offer daytime services'; alongside accessible emergency accommodation, day services have been 'desperately needed' in Lincoln.