10 March

101 people sleep out to raise awareness for homelessness

The Lord Mayor’s Appeal joined forces with Lady Mayoress Florence King this March for the third annual Lady Mayoress’s Sleep Out.

Taking place at Guildhall Yard overnight on Thursday March 6, the charity fundraising event welcomed 110 participants to ditch their warm beds for the night and help raise funds and awareness of the issue of homelessness.

The sleep out was a great success, directly supporting two organisations connected to homelessness, with 50% of net proceeds going to The Lord Mayor's Appeal’s charity partner Homewards; and 50% donated to The Pret Foundation.

It is estimated that over 300,000 people in the UK – nearly half of whom are children – are sofa surfing, sleeping on the streets, staying in hostels, living in their cars or other forms of temporary accommodation (Homewards 2024) 

The Lady Mayoress Florence King said;

“Homelessness is a growing issue in the City and beyond and a cause very close to mine and The Lord Mayor’s heart. We believe it’s vital to not only raise awareness of what it’s like for a growing number of Londoners sleeping rough, but to support organisations like Homewards and The Pret Foundation who are working tirelessly to find lasting solutions to the growing number of people without a permanent home in the UK.”

Find out how to support upcoming The Lord Mayor's Appeal events here