Staff, volunteers and supporters of Ripon YMCA, gave up their warm beds to sleep outdoors on a cold, wet evening to highlight the issues of youth homelessness.

The Sleep Easy event staged at the weekend in the grounds of the city’s Workhouse Museum, carried the theme ‘Sleep out so others don’t have to’ and was designed to raise awareness and funds for the charity to help those who do not have a home of their own.

Jayne Shackleton, the YMCA’s community and development manager in Ripon, told the Stray Ferret:

“This is just a small taste of what it’s like for people who, for reasons such as family breakdown, find themselves with no roof over their head and no bed to sleep in.”

Her colleague, Bryony, who is a housing support worker, knows from personal experience about the crucial role that the charity plays in supporting the young and vulnerable who are facing difficult situations.

She said:

“At 16, I went to Ripon YMCA and over the two years that I lived there, I was given the encouragement to believe in myself, while providing the stability that I needed to put my life back on track.”

Bryony lived at Ripon YMCA for two years and now works for the charity

Bryony, added:

“I went on to study for a Youth and Community Work degree and with that qualification, I was proud to be able to return to Ripon to help people facing the same issues that I did when I was younger.”

Ripon Cathedral which, through its C3 Community Connections programme works closely with the YMCA , was represented at the Sleep Easy event.

Canon Matthew Pollard (pictured above, front centre), who joined the cathedral in the autumn, was among those who braved the elements.

He said:

“I have taken part in sleep outs for charities in Nottingham, Huddersfield and Bridlington, so this is my fourth.

“It is important to raise awareness of the YMCA as well as money to support the vital work that it does to support homeless people.”

In the past year the YMCA in Ripon has seen young people staying in cars, sleeping on a kitchen floor and in a shed, with many more ‘sofa surfing’.

The charity provides housing for 22 young people and  offers individual support, skills and training, designed to help them reach their full potential.

Anybody who would like to support Ripon YMCA,  can find out more here

The issue of homelessness and the hard times that go with it will be in focus on Friday night when Ripon YMCA holds its Sleep Easy event at the city’s Workhouse Museum.

Staff from the YMCA, along with volunteers, will be sleeping outside in the grounds of the former workhouse on Allhallowgate to raise awareness of youth homelessness, while raising money to support the charity’s work with young and vulnerable people.

Jayne Shackleton, community and development manager for Ripon YMCA, said:

“In the past year we have seen young people staying in cars, sleeping on a kitchen floor and in a shed, with many more ‘sofa surfing’.

“Homelessness is often hidden in society and small communities such as Ripon, where young people who have no fixed home will often find themselves sleeping at a friend’s house on a sofa or the floor.”

Ms Shackleton, pointed out:

“We provide housing for 22 young people and help enable them to be free from danger, hunger and isolation. We provide individual support, skills and training to help them lead an independent life and reach their potential.”

All fundraising or donations from the Sleep Easy event will go directly to Ripon YMCA to support its work.

Figures for England and Wales provided  by the YMCA, show that 47% of youth homelessness is caused through family breakdown.

A total  of 278,110 people were declared homeless or threatened with homelessness in 2021 and of these 56,080 were aged 16 to 24,

Anybody who would like to support Ripon YMCA,  can find out more here

Donations to the Sleep Easy event can be made via JustGiving here.