Olivia PowellGL events UK, a temporary infrastructure supplier, has come together with St Basils, a Birmingham-based charity providing accommodation, support and engagement services to young homeless people as well as those at risk of becoming homeless.
A cross-organisational team participated in the Big Birmingham Sleepout, a rough-sleeping fundraising challenge organised by St Basils. GL events also donated temporary structures to ensure that future sleepout events will have covered administration and operational spaces.
The Big Birmingham Sleepout took place in the grounds of Birmingham Cathedral on 29 November. Nine volunteers representing GL events UK and GL events UK Group partner companies were among hundreds of fundraisers constructing shelters for the night using just one plastic bag one cardboard box each in sub-zero temperatures.
Before the sleepout, the GL events team raised over £3,000 in online pledges alone.
St Basils operates more than 40 sites in Birmingham, Solihull, Coventry, Walsall, Sandwell, North Worcestershire and Warwickshire, offering over 475 units of accommodation per night along with a range of prevention and support services.
Head of fundraising and communications at St Basils, Barrie Hodge, said: “It’s our mission to ensure that young people feel cared about, have trusted support and somewhere safe and affordable to live, enabling them to learn and work.
“GL events’ partnership means we can continue to support all kinds of young people in finding and keeping a home, growing their confidence, developing skills to reach their potential and ultimately preventing homelessness.”
GL events UK group managing director, Scott Jameson, added: “Participating in the Big Birmingham Sleepout was incredibly powerful and opened our eyes to the experience of vulnerable people sleeping rough right on our doorstep, who may not have access to facilities like the hot drinks, breakfast, first aid and security organised by St Basils for Sleepout participants.
“At GL events UK, we embrace opportunities to work with charitable and community bodies, giving GL events employees the opportunity to volunteer and make a difference, especially in our local Midlands community.”