Pupils will be sleeping over at The Mall Luton to raise money for YMCA

A group of pupils and staff from Chantry Primary Academy will be taking part in the YMCA Bedfordshire SleepEasy event in Luton.
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The annual event is making it’s debut in The Mall Luton on Friday, March 15, to raise awareness about homelessness.

From 7pm till 7am the group from the Luton Primary School will join other schools, Guides, Scouts and cadets at the shopping centre, and will set up camp in an area around Central Square inside The Mall. Adults, families and business teams are invited to sleep on The Mall’s car park.

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Jamie Kelly, asssistant headteacher at Chantry, said: “We were encouraged to take part as there is a growing problem of homelessness in Luton, especially an increase amongst younger people.

Pupils from Chantry Primary Academy were at the Co-op raising money for YMCAPupils from Chantry Primary Academy were at the Co-op raising money for YMCA
Pupils from Chantry Primary Academy were at the Co-op raising money for YMCA

“We’re sleeping out in the Mall to raise awareness of the issue and raising money in the process.

“The children are very excited about the event and very proud that they will be raising money for such a worthy, close to home cause.”

The school is hoping to raise £500 for YMCA Bedfordshire and recently spent an afternoon at the Co-op Food store in Lewsey Farm to raise money, they also have a Just Giving Page: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/chantryprimaryacademy.

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The youth charity is keen for people to get involved, by taking part or sponsoring, after Luton sat at number five in the top 10 of the government’s annual local authority rough sleeper count for 2017/18.

Paul Hunt, YMCA Bedfordshire CEO, said: “As a charity we have been supporting homeless people for 30 years but were only able to expand into Luton three years ago establishing Midland House, our 78 bed housing project.”

There is a £10 fee to take part and participants are asked to raise sponsorship funds, too. Youth group leaders are free.

The fee and sponsorship money raised will go to YMCA Bedfordshire. Adults must be over 18 or over, children must be over 10.