Deepdale will see a different type of crowd tonight as hundreds of people take part in the Big PNE Sleep Out.
More than 300 people are expected to bed down on the side of the pitch as the mass sleep out returns for a third time.
More than £30,000 has been generously pledged already in support of those taking part and to help tackle rising female homelessness in the city.
Funds raised from the sleep out, which is one of the largest undertaken by any football club and community groups in the country, go towards helping services provided by the Foxton – a city charity who since 1969 have been working with Preston’s most vulnerable people.
Chief executive Cath Coffey said: “Our Big Sleep Out 3 is about standing in solidarity with the women, and we need supporters to help us continue this life-changing work.
“The Foxton’s work with homeless women is about visibility, dignity and transforming lives.
“We thank everyone whose signed up so far, as it looks to be an amazing crowd of people. We look forward to seeing everyone at PNE.”
A new study, as reported by Blog Preston earlier this year, estimates there’s more than 150 women at any one time experiencing homelessness. This compares to just one in the official rough sleeper statistics for the city – which the Foxton say is why female homelessness is referred to as hidden homelessness.
The sleep out is in conjunction with the Preston North End Community and Education Trust, the charitable arm of the football club, who are expanding the work they do to help break the cycle of female homelessness.
PNE have been backing the sleep out with manager Paul Heckingbottom leading a group of his players to the Foxton’s Day Centre at Fox Street, which itself saw a major funding boost following the 2023 sleep out, to serve up dinner before Christmas.
The PNE gaffer said of the visit and the sleep out that it was ‘local people’ who were crucial to the support of events like the Big PNE Sleep Out.
He said: “When Preston North End get behind a local charity, it adds a lot more value to it because ultimately it’s local people that will then offer their support and make it all worthwhile.”
Preston North End’s womens team are also supporting the Big PNE Sleep Out, with captain Laura Walker and a number of the team due to take part on the night at Deepdale.
Earlier this month she and fellow player Caitlan Walker, visited the Foxton Women’s Centre in New Hall Lane to hear first-hand the impact support from the Foxton makes to those who are homeless in Preston.
Laura Walker said: “You can watch something on a screen and feel for people. But when you sit in a room with them, hear their voices and see the strength it has taken just to survive, it becomes real in a completely different way. It brings it home.”
Business groups, fellow charities, doctors surgeries, schools and more are all taking part – as well as individuals – with many teams and people taking part having already raised more than £1,000 through their own efforts towards the Big PNE Sleep Out total before the cardboard has even been unrolled.
Cardboard for the event, a single sheet of which is given to attendees as their mattress for the night, is supplied by Veolia who are backing the sleep out for a second time.
The sleep out at Deepdale is for over-18s only but a number of youth clubs, schools and young people’s groups are holding their own sleep outs with a group of young people aged eight to 19 sleeping out at the Foxton’s youth and community centre in Knowsley Street tonight too.
Blog Preston will also be bedding down for the night at Deepdale, the third time we’ve undertaken the Sleep Out and been a part of the team organising it, as Kate Rosindale, Luke Beardsworth, Alice Jones and Ed Walker get into their sleeping bags. You can donate directly to our Blog Preston team’s efforts via our Justgiving page.
We’ll have live updates across our social media throughout the night from Deepdale, so feel free to drop us a comment and a good luck message.
You can donate via Justgiving to help the Big PNE Sleep Out get to the £100,000 target. Let’s do this Proud Preston!
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