£26,500 raised for charities in just one night
A massive £26,500 was raised in
sponsorship after 166 people from around the Medway towns and Kent
gave up their beds for one night to take part in the mhs homes
sponsored sleep out. The money raised was split between local
homeless charity "Emmaus Medway" and "The Macmillan Cancer Care
Unit" mhs homes chosen charity for 2008. The achievements of all
the sleepers were recently celebrated at a presentation evening
held at our head office, Broadside.
People from all areas of the community
ranging from the Police, Church representatives, Scouts and Medway
Council to tenants and local businesses were invited to receive
their Certificates of Achievement from Paul Clark MP, who also
participated in the sleep out with his daughter.
John Sands, Chief Executive of mhs
homes, presented two cheques totalling £13,250 each to
representatives from Emmaus Medway, President, Ian Fawkner, and
James Gilbourne, Chair of the Fundraising Committee and to Liz
Francis, Macmillan Fundraising Manager. James said, "This is a
fantastic amount of money and will go a long way to help homeless
people in our communities get back on their feet and into work.
It’s incredible how many people took part in the sleep out, who
offered their support and for those that sponsored them. We are
very grateful."
This is the seventh year we have
organised the sponsored sleep out to coincide with National
Homelessness Sunday and the first time it has been held at
"Broadside". Liz Francis from Macmillan said, "The money raised
during this one night has been amazing. It is the dedication and
support of people like these sleepers and sponsors that will help
us to build a cancer care unit at Medway Hospital. We need to raise
over £1 million by 2009 so that cancer patients can receive
chemotherapy in their local hospital and existing haematology
patients will be cared for in a bright, purpose built ward. We
would like to say a huge thank you to all that took part and helped
on the night."
John Sands Chief Executive of mhs
homes said, "This is the most successful sleep out we’ve had to
date. It really seemed to catch the imagination of a lot of people,
not only did we have over twice the number of people taking part
but we also had some amazing box designs. This event was as much
about raising money as awareness and we have certainly been able to
do both. The barrier has certainly been raised for future sleep
outs."