Oxfordshire Homeless Movement is looking for more sign-ups for its 2023 CEO Sleepout to help reach its £75,000 fundraising goal.
The 2023 CEO Sleepout is open to anyone in a senior position in an Oxfordshire business – all you need is a big heart, a sleeping bag, and to be willing to raise or donate £1,000.
Oxfordshire Homeless Movement (OHM) is calling on business owners, CEOs, Directors, and Partners across Oxfordshire to help raise vital funds for those in need.
The 2023 CEO Sleepout, taking place on the 12 October, will see Oxfordshire professionals sleeping under the stars to raise money for services that support people experiencing homelessness.
Organisers of this year’s event are hoping to make it bigger and better than last year by raising a total of £75,000 – and they need your help.
Participants are asked to fundraise or donate a minimum of £1,000, but the effort doesn’t stop there.
Yvonne Pinner, Project Director at Oxfordshire Homeless Movement, says: “While the CEO Sleepout is no comparison at all to the experience of homeless people, we hope that influential business professionals will get a tiny glimpse into the discomfort they experience on a daily basis.
“Then it’s over to them – while we put the money to good use with our partner organisations in Oxfordshire, we’d love for participants to continue to spread awareness about the cause and how the everyday person can help.
“All you need is a big heart, a sleeping bag, and to be willing to fundraise or donate £1,000. The money raised during the CEO Sleepout is vital to the various projects we run.
£1,000 could provide 20 people with living costs for a week, provide a support worker for 20 people for a month, or provide mental health support for two guests a quarter. Every penny goes towards helping people in need.”
Donations to OHM through the CEO Sleepout help fund several projects supporting Oxfordshire people experiencing homelessness.
Steve Irvine, 54, an ex-RAF Aircraft Engineer, found himself sleeping on Port Meadow when he became homeless in June 2018 following financial difficulties.
Steve says: “My daily routine when I was homeless was very, very drudging. Every morning, I would pack up my tent, hide it in a bush, and walk into town to sit in the library, where I could charge my phone.
“After a few hours, I’d go to the Porch Day Centre for a free lunch, and then maybe to Westgate Social for the afternoon, again to charge my phone for free.
“When Angela Unsworth, Domestic Bursar at the University College, Oxford, heard about me sleeping in Port Meadow, she wanted to help, and she offered me a job.
“It was tricky as I didn’t have a registered address, but the Porch put me in contact with Edge Housing, and once I was into accommodation, I had a kitchen porter job waiting for me. That was five years ago, and I’m still there now.
“There are lots of organisations in Oxford that give support, like Edge Housing and Porch, but finding somewhere to sleep is the most difficult part.
“I had a little bit of income from my RAF pension to get me through day to day but couldn’t have paid rent anywhere That’s why it’s important for people to try and raise as much money for the charity as possible so they can provide more options.”
Sign up for the 2023 CEO Sleepout in aid of OHM on Thursday, 12 October, by emailing Yvonne at yvonne@ohmteam.org.
You can also register directly on the CEO Sleepout website. Do make sure to select Oxfordshire Homeless Movement as your charity.
