Over 110 community members gathered last Friday for The Big Sleepout, an event dedicated to raising awareness about poverty and homelessness in Wigan and Leigh.
The concourse of the Brick Community Stadium became the venue for this memorable night, which brought together local businesses, families, and sports fans.
The night was filled with activities and performances, ensuring an enjoyable experience for all attendees.
Ian Hayles, a renowned performer from Wigan, known for his work as a voice actor for Doctor Who, and as a main cast member of the award-winning podcast The Magnus Archives, entertained participants with a series of bedtime stories. His storytelling ranged from adventurous tales for children, to spooky stories for the brave hearted.
Richard Hart provided musical entertainment, delighting the crowd with popular hits on his acoustic guitar.
Adding to the evening’s fun was the appearance of Crusty the Pie, who entertained children with playful antics and photo opportunities and as dawn broke, participants were treated to bacon butties to conclude the event.
A special thank you, from The Brick, goes to Wigan Warriors players Liam Marshall, Tyler Dupree, and Junior Nsemba, as well as Wigan Warriors ladies Grace Banks, Beth Hayes, Isabelle Rowe, Genna Banks, Cailey Miller, and Ellie Costello, for their attendance and support.
The event was also graced by Wigan Warriors CEO Kris Radlinski and Wigan Athletic Chairman Professor Brookes as well as event sponsors Michaela and Michael Wallace from Pall Mall Carpets.
Keely Dalfen, CEO at The Brick, said: “Thank you from everyone at The Brick for your support and fundraising. We have raised almost £8,000 so far, with more donations still coming in. The community spirit in our borough is truly inspirational, and I am proud to live and work in this wonderful town.
“Families in Wigan and Leigh can face various types of poverty, including fuel, food, hygiene, and period poverty but bed poverty is also a critical part of child poverty, and it manifests in different ways for different families. Some children share beds with their parents due to the lack of separate sleeping spaces, others sleep on the floor, and some can’t replace broken beds or buy new bedding.
“We want the ‘Big Sleepout’ to raise awareness of bed poverty, illustrating that this crisis is real and happening within our community, The Brick provides all sorts of furniture and household items, including beds, along with duvets, pillows, and bedding, to families in need every week. In the last 12 months we have donated over 165 brand new beds. but together we can make a difference.”
Families from the community who attended the Big Sleepout commented on their experience.
Karen Critchley said: “Myself and Will had a fantastic time at the stadium. It was heartwarming to see everyone come together to support the charity. It’s crucial to unite for those less privileged and continue the amazing work The Brick does.”
Craig Hopper said: “Me and my son loved the experience. A few of his teammates did it as well and all they could talk about was how do we get all the team to do this next year. Thanks again. Thank you!”
Darren Atherton said: “We are moving to Canada on Monday and my son Lucas, aged 8, wanted to do something for our hometown and found The Sleep Out himself after coming along to a few Wigan Warrior games at The Brick Community Stadium. He did all the research himself and loved every minute of it. We are back at the stadium tomorrow night for one last match before heading to Canada. We do plan to carry on supporting the team and the Brick from afar.”
Emily Makin said: “We wanted to take part in this event to give back to our local community. We also wanted our children to come along to understand that life doesn’t always go as planned and helping others in need is important throughout life. As a family, we have loved taking part, and having been able to raise vital funds and awareness for The Brick, we hope we can continue to do so in the future and at events like these.”
Stacey Berry said: “We had a fab time. We did this as we think it is a great cause and we wanted to educate our own children of how lucky they are to be able to sleep in comfort when not all are so fortunate.”
Ro said: “My children really enjoyed the evening and understand the reason behind the fund raising. Your speech really hit home, as I grew up in a similar situation as a child. My children are fortunate not to have to go through this hardship, but they would love to help out more. See you again for next year’s big sleep out!”
The event sponsored by Pall Mall Carpets also attracted other local and national businesses who turned out in support of the Big Sleepout.
Adam Vause, Managing Director at Express IT said: “The night was rough, but it gave me a glimpse into the hardships faced by those on the streets. It was a great event.”
Paul Vickerstaff, Managing Director at Heatable, said: “We had an amazing night supporting a fantastic charity. It’s eye-opening to learn about the ongoing issues of homelessness, and I encourage everyone to support The Brick.”
To support the event visit: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/thebrickbigsleepout
