Manchester bosses to swap home comforts for sleeping bags 

A charity is challenging senior executives from some of the city’s leading businesses to brave the October elements and sleep outdoors for a night.

CEO Sleepout Manchester 2017 is one of eight sleepouts taking place across the UK which aim to raise over £500,000 to fight homelessness and poverty in the UK.

The event, which takes place at Emirates Old Trafford, the home of Lancashire County Cricket Club, on October 16th, will see business leaders faced with the challenge of giving up the comfort of their bed for a night to raise funds for those who don’t have one.

Already signed up are Peter Pritchard from Pets at Home, Jenna Bowyer from Boohoo, Stella Bowdell from Manchester Chamber of Commerce, Andy Lord from Rethink Group, Clare Turner from Matt & Phreds and Chris Greenhalgh from I Love MCR.

Since launching in 2013, the charity has seen over 1,000 executives take on the challenge and raised over £1m.

Last year, the event raised £67k to help local charities such Mustard Tree and Manchester Action on Street Health which provides support to some of the most vulnerable people in Manchester – women working on the streets.

This year, there are even more homeless people living on the streets of Manchester.

“The situation has worsened even in the last 4 months, with a 50% increase in the demand for small grants by homeless individuals, which are used to help with primary basic needs, such as clothing and food,” says Miriam Morris, director of the Church Housing Trust

Andy Preston from CEO Sleepout UK said: “CEO Sleepout UK is delighted to be working with the LCCC Foundation again following last year’s successful event. By engaging with the business community we aim to raise funds to help fight poverty and homelessness in Manchester.”

Sandy Mitchell from the Lancashire County Cricket Club (LCCC) Foundation said: “This is a great opportunity to raise people’s awareness of homelessness in Manchester and by partnering up with CEO Sleepout UK again we believe we can achieve bigger and better results than the 2016 event and help to raise significant funds for charities that support those in need, day in and day out.”

CEO Sleepout Manchester 2017

For more information, to register or pledge your support to fight homelessness and poverty in the city click here. Not a boss but still want to sleep out for charity? Click here.