Our first ever Big Sleep Out took place on 27th November, with fundraisers coming together to sleep outside at the Cherry Red Records Stadium, including members of the Dons Local Action Group leadership team, Joe Palmer, AFC Wimbledon Club CEO, Philip Rudling, AFC Wimbledon Foundation Director, and Michael Brunt the Mayor of Merton. We also had AFCW players joining us including Alex Woodyard, Darius Charles, Ben Heneghan, and Ollie Palmer, as well as our wonderful Dons Local Action Group volunteers, partner charities, AFC Wimbledon football fans and local residents.
50% of the funds raised from the Big Sleep Out will support the Dons Local Action Group and 50% will be shared between Tooting Community Kitchen, Faith In Action, and Kingston Churches Action On Homelessness. These partner organisations have collectively helped people break the cycle of homelessness and continue to provide much needed support to our community.
Thank you to the 60 participants at our Big Sleep Out who braved the bitter cold to fundraise for Dons Local Action Group and our charity partners tackling homelessness. There is still time to make a donation, you can do this here.
Watch highlights from the Big Sleep Out below.
Details for our participants
- The event will be held in the West Stand first floor concourse of the Cherry Red Records Stadium, Plough Lane.
- Please arrive between 8-10pm – the gates will be closed after this time. Enter the stadium through the gates on the left of the South Stand Entrance, off Plough Lane.
- If you are watching the game vs Fleetwood Town, please arrive between 1-2pm via Gate 5 (East Stand). You can give your overnight bag to a Big Sleep Out Volunteer, wearing a High Vis Jacket, who will lock it in the portacabin – you can collect your bag again between 8-9pm.
- If you are enjoying hospitality, you will be able to leave your bags at reception and a Big Sleep Out Volunteer will take them over to the portacabin by gate 5 (East Stand).
- On arrival please register with one of our Big Sleep Out Volunteers and they will brief you about where to go.
- The stadium food stalls will be serving food until 6.30pm. Please eat before you arrive; there is no food available after 6.30pm!
- The Phoenix Pub will be open for drinks until midnight.
- Hot drinks will be available throughout the night if you need one!
- Breakfast, tea and coffee will be available from 6am on Sunday 28 November from our event sponsor, Elior.
- We will have 3 volunteer first aiders on site all night, they are all off duty London ambulance paramedics.
- Bring warm clothes, a thick sleeping bag, anything else you need and a positive attitude!
- The event is for over 18’s only. We encourage any under 18’s who would like to take part to organise a ‘sleep out’ at home, perhaps in the kitchen or living room.
- Enjoy the experience … you are a star!
Dons Local Action Group. Registered Charity no. 1201803.
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