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Advent Sleepout Challenge

Date:
Tue 27th October 2015

One night can change everything. Could you give up one night of comfort so that someone else won’t have to?

Advent Sleepout Challenge, an exciting new event, launches this year with two charities that provide essential and life-changing support to homeless people across the North East: Church Urban Fund and Depaul UK. Both charities are committed to fighting homelessness and other forms of poverty across the UK and work in Partnership at the John Paul Centre, Middlesbrough.

On Friday 4 December, Church Urban Fund and Depaul UK are inviting Christian communities across the North East of England to join them in giving up a night of comfort in a unique response to advent. There are three ways you can take part:

Doing one of the above will help raise money for Depaul’s North East ‘Nightstop’ emergency accommodation service and Church Urban Fund’s Together Network working locally to transform lives.

In 2014 an estimated 2,744 people were sleeping rough on any one night in England, a rise of 55 per cent since 2010. As well as this, there are 8.8 million people who are struggling with problem debt.

The Rt Revd Paul Ferguson, Bishop of Whitby, will be taking part in the Advent Sleepout Challenge at Holy Trinity, North Ormesby on Friday 4 December. He said, “Social deprivation in this area is at a critical point now, with the recent devastating news in Redcar. Supporting this challenge could help to make the difference to so many people. I pray for those people and everyone involved in helping them. Will you join us in this huge task?”

Paul Hackwood, Executive Chair of Church Urban Fund said “Advent is a unique time for Christians as we remember that God chose to walk among us in the most truly humble of circumstances. The Advent Sleepout Challenge is a way for us to respond to that by placing ourselves in our very own ‘stables’ so that we can support the most vulnerable in our country.

“On top of this, we imagine this will be a really fun way to do something special in the run up to Christmas!”

Advent Sleepout Challenge invites you to swap your bed for a sleeping bag and stone floor and experience what will be a unique and inspiring night.

To take part in the North Ormesby Sleepout or sponsor Bishop Paul or any of the team taking part, email middlesbroughsleepout@depauluk.org.

To sponsor Bishop Paul or any of the team taking part in the North Ormesby Sleepout click here. If you want to join them, please email middlesbroughsleepout@depauluk.org.

To organise your own event go to www.sleepoutchallenge.org.uk. There’s an interactive map of all events happening nationally, and personal video testimonies from people who have benefited from church projects supported by CUF.