Will Smith, Seth Green and Helen Mirren join Big Sleep Out charity event to raise £40m for homeless people worldwide
HOLLYWOOD A-listers will join thousands in sleeping rough in a bid to experience a night like the homeless. The worldwide event hopes to fight homelessness and will take place across 52 cities on Saturday December 7 – the largest charitable fundraising campaign in a generation. The World’s Big Sleep Out is set to be the […]
HOLLYWOOD A-listers will join thousands in sleeping rough in a bid to experience a night like the homeless.
The worldwide event hopes to fight homelessness and will take place across 52 cities on Saturday December 7 – the largest charitable fundraising campaign in a generation.
The World’s Big Sleep Out is set to be the largest display of solidarity with and in support of those experiencing homelessness and displacement.
From London and New York to New Delhi and Madrid, particupants will experience sleeping rough in cardboard boxes and sleeping bags.
And with just over five weeks to go, the first wave of acts have been revealed.
CELEB LINE-UP
Dame Helen Mirren is set to read a bedtime story to sleepers in London’s iconic Trafalgar Square.
But before attendees settle down the night, they’ll hear performances from Scottish rockers Travis and BRIT Award winner and Leave the Light On singer Tom Walker.
Other supporters will roll out their beds for the night at the Kia Oval.
All across the UK cities such as Edinburgh, Dublin, Belfast, Cardiff, Newcastle, Newport, Brighton and Manchester will also take part.
Irish band The Script will perform at Trinity College in Dublin.
At Exhibition Park in Newcastle, The Hairy Bikers will read a bedtime story to those sleeping out for the night.
And across the pond in New York’s iconic Times Square, Hollywood A-lister Will Smith will lead the night’s activities.
In Los Angeles, Randy Jackson – best known for his time as the longest-serving judge on American Idol – will be taking to the stage in Elysian Park.
Jackson will be forming an all-star band for the special occasion, with full details revealed on the night.
To finish off the night actor, comedian, producer, writer and director, Seth Green will be telling a bedtime story.
In Chicago award-winning singer-songwriter Frank Turner will perform.
£40 MILLION FOR HOMELESSNESS
The combined worldwide event hopes to raise £40million and is spearheaded by Pride of Britain 2019 award winner, Josh Littlejohn.
Josh, 33, said: “We hope to create an historic global moment. Like Live Aid in 1985, where everyone was focused on a particular issue and a large amount of money was raised.”
People are urged to register at www.bigsleepout.com or sign up to ‘Host Your Own’ sleep out in a backyard, office car park, high school, university campus or elsewhere.
Registration is now open with 100 per cent of funds raised to go towards homelessness charities.
A 50/50 split between local and global charities is set to help 1,000,000 homeless and displaced people all over the world.
International partners also include UNICEF USA, Malala Fund and the Institute of Global Homelessness.
In 2017 8,000 people slept out in Edinburgh’s Princes Street Gardens where the temperature dropped to minus seven degrees centigrade.
Liam Gallagher performed, while comedian John Cleese read a bedtime story. A total of £3.9million was raised.
How YOU can take part
YOU can support The World’s Big Sleep Out by joining an official event in any of the 50 cities and towns taking part.
Alternatively, host your own night by encouraging friends and family to sleep in your garden or any other place that is safe and legal. Or just donate.
Half the money raised will go to local homeless charities.
The rest will go to the Institute for Global Homeless, Unicef and the Malala Fund.
Visit bigsleepout.com to find out more.
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