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.
