Every penny raised will go towards providing accommodation and opportunities for young people who are homeless
The first ever LandAid Birmingham SleepOut saw 108 professionals from 22 property companies, including Avison Young, Pinsent Masons and Eversheds Sutherland, SleepOut to raise valuable funds to support homeless young people in Birmingham and the West Midlands.
Participants were joined by Barrie Hodge, Head of Fundraising and Communications at St Basils who spoke to them about the local issues homelessness young people face, and the opportunities for apprenticeship schemes and supported accommodation due to the help provided by St. Basils Live and Work Scheme.
Thanks to LandAid’s generous sponsors Hammerson and Knight Frank, all funds raised last night will go to LandAid’s capital appeal to raise £1m to go towards the second phase of local charity St Basil’s Live and Work Scheme, which provides truly affordable accommodation for young workers in Birmingham who are in apprenticeships or in low income jobs. The accommodation will have a huge impact on the local area, with every £ invested in the first stage, leading to a staggering £14 return.
A prize for the most successful individual fundraiser, which went to LandAid’s West Midlands Chair, Rupert Chair, who has so far raised a fantastic £2,170. Local project STEAMHouse won the highest team fundraising, raising a fantastic £6,280. Prologis won the coveted prize for building the best beds.
LandAid would like to say a huge thank you to all the events sponsors, including headline sponsors Hammerson and Knight Frank, and the Edgbaston Foundation who very kindly lent the venue for the evening. The event also received 250 cardboard boxes from Crown Workspace.
Paul Morrish, LandAid Chief Executive, says: ‘A huge thank you to everyone who braved the cold and slept out last night. A fantastic amount has been raised by professionals across the property industry. All funds will go to the second phase of St. Basils award winning Live and Work scheme, which will provide young people in the West Midlands affordable housing and a gateway to independence.
The SleepOut was a sobering experience for all who took part. We are so proud to see many of you take on this challenge for young people of the West Midlands. But for too many young people, sleeping out isn’t an evening for fundraising – it is their reality. Thank you to everyone who last night gave hundreds of young people the option of safe and affordable accommodation, and a steppingstone to independence.’
Mark Bourgeois, Managing Director UK & Ireland, Hammerson, said; ‘We at Hammerson are so proud to have sponsored the LandAid SleepOut Series in Birmingham, Bristol and London this year. Hammerson have many substantial investments and community partners in Birmingham and we are so pleased we have been able to bring together so many people from the property industry. All funds raised will go towards ending youth homelessness – as well as raising awareness of such an important issue.’
Alistair Elliot, Senior Partner and Group Chairman, Knight Frank, said: ‘Knight Frank is thrilled to have been able to sponsor such a fantastic event in Birmingham, after sponsoring the LandAid SleepOut in 2018. This SleepOut in Birmingham was just as special as the last, and Knight Frank will continue to be committed to ending youth homelessness. We are looking forward to sponsoring SleepOuts in Bristol and London in the coming weeks.’