Sleeping bags, cardboard forts and pop-up tents were put up as Prestonians bedded down at Deepdale for the third Big PNE Sleep Out.
More than £54,000 has now been raised for the mass sleep out with funds going to help tackle rising female homelessness in the city.
Organised by the Foxton, Preston North End Community and Education Trust, Veolia and Blog Preston, more than 220 people turned out to show their support and help raise funds by braving the chill at the home of PNE for the night.
The Lancashire Post’s Kelvin-Lister Stuttard popped down to snap some of those taking part and also the briefing where everyone gathered to hear from the Foxton’s chief executive Cath Coffey about the impact the money raised would have on what she described as a ‘hidden homelessness problem’ in the city because of how women rough sleeping are counted.
The Big PNE Sleep Out 2026 participants at Deepdale Pic: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard/Iconic MediaPreparing for the Big PNE Sleep Out at Deepdale Pic: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard/Iconic MediaFinding a spot to bed down at the Big PNE Sleep Out at Deepdale Pic: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard/Iconic MediaArriving at the Big PNE Sleep Out at Deepdale Pic: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard/Iconic MediaCardboard and umbrella at the ready at the Big PNE Sleep Out Pic: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard/Iconic MediaArriving at the Big PNE Sleep Out at Deepdale Pic: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard/Iconic MediaA cardboard fort created at the Big PNE Sleep Out Pic: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard/Iconic MediaPop-up tents at the Big PNE Sleep Out 2026 Pic: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard/Iconic MediaAll set for the Big PNE Sleep Out 2026 Pic: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard/Iconic MediaHeading to find a bed for the night Pic: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard/Iconic MediaA sip of something warming at the Big PNE Sleep Out 2026 Pic: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard/Iconic MediaChecking for updates at the Big PNE Sleep Out 2026 Pic: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard/Iconic MediaThe Big PNE Sleep Out 2026 Pic: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard/Iconic MediaArriving at the Big PNE Sleep Out 2026 Pic: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard/Iconic MediaFolding out the cardboard at the Big PNE Sleep Out Pic: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard/Iconic MediaListening to the briefing at the Big PNE Sleep Out Pic: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard/Iconic MediaCath Coffey speaking at the Big PNE Sleep Out 2026 Pic: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard/Iconic MediaCath Coffey of Foxton Pic: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard/Iconic MediaMichael Treadwell of Veolia speaks at the Big PNE Sleep Out 2026 Pic: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard/Iconic MediaMichael Treadwell of Veolia speaks at the Big PNE Sleep Out 2026 Pic: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard/Iconic MediaEd Walker of Blog Preston at the Big PNE Sleep Out 2026 Pic: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard/Iconic MediaWrapping up at the Big PNE Sleep Out 2026 Pic: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard/Iconic MediaReady for the Big PNE Sleep Out 2026 Pic: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard/Iconic MediaSettled down and ready for the Big PNE Sleep Out Pic: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard/Iconic Media
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Listen on Spotify Apple Music Amazon Music Zweiter Anlauf für die Verfassungsrichterwahl: Nach dem Sommer-Desaster treten heute Sigrid Emmenegger, Günter Spinner und Ann-Katrin Kaufhold an.…
<img src="https://www.mtlblog.com/media-library/an-amazon-warehouse.jpg?id=26885698&width=1200&height=400&coordinates=0%2C115%2C0%2C115"/><br/><br/><p>Amazon's decision to <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/amazon-quebec-closing" target="_self">shut down its operations in Quebec</a> has left thousands of workers facing uncertain futures. But some Quebecers have responded by taking a stand against the company.</p><p>On Wednesday, January 24, Amazon announced the closure of its seven warehouses across Quebec, resulting in 1,700 layoffs over the coming weeks and months. </p><p>However, a <a href="https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/2135080/licenciements-transport-fermeture-amazon-quebec" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">new report from CBC</a> indicates that the number of affected workers will now exceed 3,500. This updated figure includes employees from small businesses with contracts to deliver packages on Amazon's behalf.</p><p>In the wake of this announcement, a social media movement called <a href="https://www.instagram.com/boycottamazon.ca/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">"Ici, on boycotte Amazon"</a> ("Here, we boycott Amazon") has started to gain traction. The campaign reflects growing discontent among Quebecers and a push to encourage support for local businesses as an alternative to the corporation.</p><p>"Jeff Bezos, the top boss of Amazon, is one of the richest men in the world. He is spitting on Quebec, on our workers and our working conditions," a spokesperson for the movement wrote <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DFKKEiaO3HG/?img_index=1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">in a recent Instagram post</a> highlighting the group's demands. </p><p>"Amazon is showing bosses everywhere that it's possible to steamroll over us. This doesn't just affect Amazon workers, but the whole of Quebec. We won't sit back and do nothing! Quebec is a market of 9 million customers; Canada is over 40 million. If we stand up to the American oligarchs, we can win!"</p><p>As of Friday morning, the Instagram page had 170 followers.</p><p>Multiple boycott organizers handed out flyers at a Montreal Metro station on Thursday, calling on Quebecers to cancel their Amazon subscriptions and spread news of the movement.</p><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DFLJyQnRuO6/?img_index=2" data-instgrm-version="4" style="background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);">
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DFLJyQnRuO6/?img_index=2" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top">See on Instagram</a>
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</blockquote><script async="" defer="" src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script><p>In a message shared with MTL Blog, André-Philippe Doré, a spokesperson for the group, explained that the boycotters want Amazon to keep their Quebec warehouses open. But if they are to be closed, they demand the following: </p><ol><li>Suspension of all Amazon activities in Quebec (including AWS, data centres, etc.).</li><li>Expropriation of the closed warehouses.</li><li>Repayment of all public subsidies that were given to Amazon.</li><li>One year of salary and insurance for the laid-off workers.</li><li>Free education for those workers.</li></ol><p>Meanwhile, <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/montreal/comments/1i8mxko/amazon_boycott/?utm_source=embedv2&utm_medium=post_embed&utm_content=post_title&embed_host_url=https://www.mtlblog.com/core/dashboard/editor/preview/2670988263/122800669">a recent Reddit post</a> calling for Quebecers to boycott Amazon has already featured dozens of replies, with some claiming to have cancelled their Prime subscriptions.</p>
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<p>"I am absolutely willing to go to a store and pay more to stop throwing money at a company whose barely hidden goal is to screw people over as deeply as possible without consequences," one comment read.</p><p>Part of the growing anger stems from the fact that closures were announced less than a year after the <a href="https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/first-amazon-warehouse-unionizing-in-quebec-888708281.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN)</a> filed an application with the Administrative Labour Tribunal (ALT) to represent 200 employees at Amazon's DXT4 warehouse in Laval. That move made it the first Amazon fulfillment centre in Canada to unionize.</p><p>In an email exchange with Narcity Quebec, Amazon spokesperson Barbara Agrait said the company's decision to adopt a third-party delivery system was not based on unionization but on cost efficiency, stating that the company has collaborated with third-party providers in Quebec for many years and solely relied on them until 2020. </p><p>Agrait maintains that Amazon is convinced it can offer the same service at a lower cost and has made "the best decision" for the company and its customers. Regarding delivery times, Agrait limited herself to saying that customers throughout Quebec will continue to enjoy fast service, as well as a wide selection of products.</p><p>Amazon is expected to wind down its operations throughout the province within the next two months.</p><p><em>This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.</em></p>
