A charity that helps the homeless is urging people in Mansfield and Ashfield to experience a single night of rough sleeping so others don’t have to.

Framework, which supports thousands of people across the East Midlands, will hold its annual Mansfield Big Snore sponsored sleep-out event on Friday, 23rd March at West Nottinghamshire College’s Derby Road campus in Mansfield.

The event, backed for the first time by Nottingham Building Society, will this year have a colourful circus-theme — carrying on a tradition of a fun, family event held in aid of a very serious cause

Framework fundraising manager Chris Senior said: “Street homelessness is a significant problem in Mansfield, where members of our street outreach team regularly work with people who are experiencing serious physical and mental ill-health.

“Taking part in the Mansfield Big Snore is a great way to demonstrate your concern, learn more about this issue and raise funds to support people in need.

“With this year’s circus theme there’s a chance to enjoy great entertainment and even learn new skills.

“Taking part in the Big Snore is truly an experience to remember and we forward to welcoming people to this year’s event.

“I am also grateful to our sponsor, Nottingham Building Society, whose support ensures even more money gets to where it needs to be.”

Event participants are encouraged to spend a night in a cardboard box in return for sponsorship money from friends, family and colleagues.

The event will be held in a safe, secure area of the college grounds between 7pm and 6am.
Money raised will support the work of Framework’s street outreach team, which supports people sleeping on the street into accommodation and treatment.

Tony Gibney, manager at The Nottingham’s Stockwell Gate branch in Mansfield, added: “Much of our work as a society is about supporting people to enjoy the comfort and security of their own home, so homelessness and rough sleeping are causes very close to our heart as an organisation.

“We are very proud to be sponsoring the Big Snore this year for the first time and look forward to helping Framework make it a great success.”

Principal and chief executive of West Nottinghamshire College, Dame Asha Khemka, said: “We are very proud to host another Big Snore event at the college. The one we hosted in 2017 was a great success and many students got involved.

“Homelessness is something that students regularly discuss and raise awareness of amongst their peers. They have organised a number of money raising initiatives for homeless charities and I am confident they will do their best for this year’s Big Snore sleep out at the college.”

The event, which raised more than £20,000 last year, was begun by members of St Mark’s Church, Mansfield, in 2004, to raise money to buy a new washing machine for the Sherwood Street Hostel.

Since then the event has grown and this year hopes to raise £25,000.

Framework asks participants to raise a minimum of £50. Securing a place at the sleep out requires a non-refundable £10 fee for adults and £5 for people aged five to 16.

To sign up go to www.frameworkha.org/mansfieldbigsnore