Category: Charity

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The Big Newark Sleep Out 2026 – One Night. One Cause. One Community.

On Friday 20th March 2026, the Big Newark Sleep Out returns to the YMCA Village in Newark – and you’re invited to be part of something powerful. For one night only, swap your bed for a sleeping bag under the stars and help raise vital funds to support young people facing homelessness in our community.

Hosted by YMCA Newark & Sherwood and Newark Emmaus Trust, this event brings together individuals, local businesses, and organisations with one shared mission: to create safe spaces, build confidence, and equip vulnerable young people with the life skills they need to thrive.

Why It Matters
Right now, more than 354,000 people in England are without a home – and that number continues to rise. Homelessness doesn’t discriminate. It can happen to anyone, at any time. The fear, uncertainty, and isolation that come with having nowhere safe to stay are unimaginable. Facing cold nights, unpredictable weather, and not always knowing where your next meal will come from – these are everyday realities for many. Through events like the Big Newark Sleep Out, we can come together and make a difference.

How You Can Help
Whether you’re sleeping out, sponsoring a friend, or simply spreading the word, your support matters. Every contribution – big or small – helps change lives.

Sign up or sponsor a sleeper here: https://the-big-newark-sleepout-2026.raiselysite.com/

We can’t promise clear skies, but we can promise a night of connection, compassion, and community spirit. Let’s stand together – and sleep out – so others don’t have to.

Proceeds will be shared between Newark Emmaus Trust & YMCA Newark and Sherwood.

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Buttercross Estates Celebrates Red Nose Day 2025 to Support Children in Need

Friday, 21st March 2025 marked Red Nose Day, a significant event dedicated to supporting high-quality early childhood education programs across the United Kingdom and around the world. This impactful initiative aims to equip children with foundational skills that serve as a base for their future education and development.

At Newark Beacon, Vodafone held a delicious bake sale to support fundraising efforts for Comic Relief. As well as this, here at Buttercross Estates we proudly joined this campaign by wearing the iconic Comic Relief red noses. These playful yet powerful symbols serve as more than just a fun accessory; they represent a collective effort to raise life-changing funds for children who are facing challenging circumstances both in the UK and internationally.

Every purchase of a red nose contributes directly to initiatives that address urgent issues like hunger, homelessness, and poverty. The funds and donations generated through this campaign make a huge difference by ensuring children have the opportunity to grow up in safe, healthy, and empowering environments.

Comic Relief celebrated 40 years of fundraising this year, and by supporting Comic Relief, we collectively strive to break the cycle of poverty. Your generosity fuels programs that provide critical resources and support, helping to create a brighter future for countless young lives.

If you’d like to contribute to this meaningful cause, you can donate to Comic Relief here. Every penny counts and continues to transform lives.

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The Big Newark Sleep Out 2025 Experience

On the evening of March 7th, 2025, The Big Newark Sleep Out returned for another year, uniting the community for an incredible night of fundraising under the stars. This event aimed to support young homeless individuals, local businesses, and organisations in a shared mission to provide safe spaces, build confidence, and equip vulnerable young individuals with life skills.

Over fifty individuals braved the cold and joined in on this eye-opening experience. The night was filled with activities such as shelter building, a campfire, as well as a lively quiz. Despite the long hours and little sleep, the event left an impact on all who took part, and we were very lucky to have had a fairly mild and dry weather considering the time of year.

Daniel and Katie, representing Buttercross Estates, took very different approaches in their shelter building, as seen below, however both immersed themselves in this experience.

Daniel shared “I went simple with my setup this year, to really immerse myself within the experience as much as possible. It was a cold and uncomfortable with only a sleeping bag as a shelter, and I only managed to get a few hours of sleep. However, it gave me a small glimpse into the lives of those who face these challenges daily”.

Katie also shared her experience – “This year was the first time I joined the sleep out, myself and my daughter were supporting both Team Buttercross and Team YMCA. The evening totally surpassed our expectations! The weather was kind to us and we enjoyed building our shelter for the evening. The time flew by, spending time round the camp fire and racking our brains during the quiz and then settling down in our sleeping bags and thanking our lucky stars it was mild and dry. I have found myself reflecting on the evening a lot over the last couple of weeks when the temperature has dropped again and thinking of those who are unable to cosy up in a warm, dry house for the night. We will definitely be supporting the Big Newark Sleep Out in the future!! To anyone who is even slightly tempted to come along – do it!! Thank you to all the organisers; it was an incredible experience!!!”

Thank you to the individuals who took part and to everyone who donated to this cause. So far an incredible £11,907 has been raised, in which proceeds go towards the Newark Emmaus Trust and YMCA Newark and Sherwood, helping to make a real difference to the lives of young people. Donations remain open until the End of March, so there’s still time to contribute to this vital cause, and any donations are greatly appreciated.

Daniel’s Setup
Katie and Minnie’s Setup

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Registrations Open for The Big Newark Sleep Out 2025

The Big Newark Sleep Out returns yet again on the 7th of March 2025. Join us for an incredible night of fundraising under the stars to support young homeless individuals, local businesses, and organisations in a shared mission to provide safe spaces, build confidence, and equip vulnerable young individuals with life skills.

Over a quarter of a million people are homeless in the UK today, and this is increasing every single day. It is hard to imagine the unease and fear these individuals must feel, having nowhere safe to stay. Anyone could find themselves in this situation, homelessness can easily and unexpectedly happen to anyone.

We would love for you to join us for this community enterprise for one night only to show your support, raise money, and raise awareness. We can’t promise the weather, however you won’t regret taking part in this experience.

This event will be hosted by YMCA Newark & Sherwood and Newark Emmaus Trust at the YMCA Village in Newark. Reserve your space on the ground now for just £10, whilst also aiming to raise £200 in sponsorship, however any contribution is gratefully accepted and appreciated.

For further information contact: sharon@newarkemmaustrust.co.uk

Proceeds will be split between Newark Emmaus Trust & YMCA Newark and Sherwood

Sign up below

    EMERGENCY CONTACT DETAILS – whilst you are not the responsibility of the Sleepout organisers, please fill in the following sections as a precautionary measure.

    MEDICAL INFORMATION – It is important that we are aware of any medical condition which may require treatment and/or may affect participation in the event.

    Declaration

    Participants take part in the Big Newark Sleep Out at their own risk.

    We are hoping to publicise the event and would welcome any photographs or video evidence of your participation on the night.

    GDPR

    Any personal information you provide will be processed by Buttercross Estates in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation. Further details are available on our website https://buttercrossestates.com/privacy-policy/

    Would you like us to contact you on email regarding future events:

    Would you be happy to be contacted by the charities regarding further work they do? -

    Please use your name on the donation page.