A group of 15 businesswomen have signed up to take part in a the massive fund-raising sleep-out event from the YMCA in Burton.

The event, which takes place across the weekend of Friday, November 10, in Tamworth, and Saturday, November 11 in Burton, will give people the opportunity to find out for themselves what if feels like to be homeless and sleeping rough.

Those sleeping rough in Tamworth will walk the 14 miles to Burton, camping out either in the tunnels of the Pirelli Stadium, home to Burton Albion Football Club, or in the graveyard at St Modwen's Church, in Burton's Market Place.

Las year saw a record-breaking 155 people take part, with volunteers ranging from as young as six years of age, right up to 75. Last year's event raised £33,602 for the YMCA which helps homeless people in the area.

Participants are being encouraged to take part in as much or as little of the weekend as they can by YMCA organisers, but children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

'Sleep-out sistas' is a group of businesswomen organised by Lisa Satchwell, who owns clinical massage and pain management clinic, Lisa Satchwell Energetics, in Tutbury.

There will be another 14 women joining Lisa during the sleep-out, including Clare Hodson-Walker, an education consultant, Elaine Pritchard from Caittom Publishing, Monica Douglas-Clark, the creative director of Jones and Clark, in Burton, and Carol Sewell, who recently retired from Burton Chamber of Commerce.

Monica Douglas Clark, owner of Jones and Clark, an industrial equipment supplier in Hawkins Lane, Burton said that: "We are so fortunate but homelessness can affect anyone, regardless of their colour, race or creed."

The sentiment was mirrored by Elaine Pritchard, from Caittom Publishing, a freelance writing service provider in Goodwood Close, in Stretton. She said: "It really can happen to anyone, this year will be my first sleep-out but my husband, Bill’s second."

Sleeping in the tunnels at the Pirelli Stadium during the 2016 sleepout
Sleeping in the tunnels at the Pirelli Stadium during the 2016 sleepout

Paula Senior, who is the fund-raising officer at the YMCA in Burton has said that having a group of 15 businesswomen come together to raise funds together is very good to see.

She said: "This year we have a team of local businesswomen who have joined together to take part in our biggest fund-raiser, the sleep-out.

"Team sleep-out sistas is the brainchild of Lisa Satchwell, who has a clinical massage and pain management clinic in Tutbury. Lisa gave up her bed last year for the first time to spend a night in a cardboard box and said at the time, she would encourage anyone to do the same.

"Lisa has visited our main homeless site Reconnect to see first-hand the breadth of services we offer and has set a challenge of raising £10,000 for sleep-out 2017 along with other businesswomen and local contacts.

"Lisa has her skeletal clinic partner Gerald dressed for sleep-out and he is helping with fundraising. We are inspired by their energy and determination to support us and raise awareness of our work through their business connections, and feel very humbled to have their support."

To take part in the sleep-out event, register online at the YMCA's website at www.burtonymca.org/sleep-out or if you simply want to sponsor the Sleep-out Sista's, you can visit Lisa Satchwell Energetics, on the High Street in Tutbury.

Alternatively, you can visit the dedicated fundraising website online here

What does the YMCA do?

The YMCA is one of the country’s largest charities that helps to support and turn around the lives of those who become homeless.

On a national scale, they supply more than 9,100 beds for those who have fallen on bad times, and have found themselves on the streets, without a home.

The charity says it firmly believes that every young person should have a safe place to stay and actively look to educate and support those who are in danger of getting in trouble.

Not only does the charity attempt to keep young people off the streets, but it also tries to give as much help and guidance as possible to educate those who they come across.

The YMCA has been credited as the largest voluntary sector provider of services in England and Wales which promotes health and wellbeing services.

By providing more than 270 health and wellbeing facilities, ranging from gyms and swimming polls to community halls and outdoor activity centres.

According to the charity, it supports more than 230,000 children and parents each year across the country, by delivering a number of family services including relationship services and nurseries.

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