Shelter is having its first ever Sleep Walk in Manchester this December – and you can join in

Shelter is having its first ever Sleep Walk in Manchester this December, and they’re hoping to get as many people as possible to sign up and show their support for the growing crisis that is homelessness.

The charity is hoping the event will offer an alternative Christmas night out for friends and families, giving Mancunians of all abilities the opportunity to brave the winter conditions and walk 10k across their cities to raise much needed funds.

New research from Shelter has found that 1 in 135 in the City of Manchester are currently homeless, and 78 families became homeless every day across England last year.

And homelessness is continuing to rise in England, with the number of homeless households living in temporary accommodation in England having increased by more than 4,000 since last year.

According to the latest government figures, in the last year a household becomes homeless every 4 minutes in England.

The findings also suggest that a new generation of young people and families are being hit by the housing emergency, with 56,440 people aged 16-24 becoming homeless or being threatened with homelessness in the last year.

“The housing emergency is only getting worse, and we are seeing more and more families pushed into homelessness,” says Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter.

“The miserable reality for many includes living in grim emergency accommodation with their children, and for some it means being forced to sleep on the street.

“Our services and advice are more in demand than ever, and with the public’s support we can provide families with the help they need to get to a better place.”

Celebrities including presenter Mel C, Edith Bowman, singer Nicola Roberts and England’s most capped England Lioness Fara Williams will be joining Sleep Walk for Shelter, taking place this year in Manchester and London, to lend their support. 

“Having experienced homelessness myself in the past I know how important it is for services like Shelter to be able to support those who are in crisis,” said Lioness Fara Williams.

“By signing up to Sleep Walk you will be making a huge difference to the people who need it this Christmas.”

This year’s Sleep Walk event is taking place in Manchester on Wednesday 11th December. Each participant is asked to raise at least £80.

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