London Road sleepout hopes to raise awareness of homelessness
Participants will sleep outside at Peterborough United’s stadium to understand the reality of rough sleeping and raise money for homelessness support services
A charity in Peterborough is holding a sleepout event at the city’s football stadium to highlight the challenges faced by rough sleepers and raise funds for homelessness support services.
The event, organised by Light Project Peterborough in partnership with the Posh Community Foundation, is taking place for the second year at Peterborough United’s stadium. Participants will spend the night sleeping outside with minimal supplies to gain an insight into the difficulties faced by those living on the streets.
Stephen Pettican, chief executive of Light Project Peterborough, said: “We’re raising awareness of the challenges rough sleepers face and also raising much-needed funds for our charity and the Posh Community Foundation.”
The charity has already raised over £10,000 for homelessness services. The funds will go towards providing emergency accommodation and helping individuals transition off the streets and into permanent housing.
“We run a project called the Garden House, a day centre for the homeless, open seven days a week, every day of the year,” Stephen said. “Across February, 254 different people came through looking for support with their homelessness situation.”
He emphasised the importance of working together with policymakers to improve support services and prevent homelessness. “We work with politicians and policymakers to consider how legislation can better support people. The housing market is unstable, and mental health challenges contribute to people losing their homes. There needs to be more focus on prevention.”
Sixty-seven people have signed up to take part in the sleepout. Participants will be given basic supplies, including sleeping bags, cardboard for insulation, and a simple meal of soup and pasta.
“Last year, we received feedback that we had made the experience too comfortable, so this time it’s a bit more stripped back,” Stephen explained. “We want people to understand the reality of rough sleeping while also coming together as a community to support those in need.”
Some individuals with lived experience of homelessness will be attending to share their stories with participants.
Stephen also called for more government funding to support the work of homelessness charities. “We receive some funding, but not nearly enough to reflect the amount of work we do to help people move off the streets. There are many charities like ours that rely on community support, yet daytime homelessness support services receive little to no government funding. A fresh look at investment in these areas is needed.”