A group of 14 Burton Albion youngsters will be showing their charitable side as they sign up to sleep rough for a night as part of the YMCA sleep-out.
The players, who are part of the Brewers under-15 team, will be taking part in the event on Saturday, November 11 and will be giving up their beds for the night to raise awareness and money for those who have to do it every night.
Volunteers taking part will camp out either in the tunnels of Burton Albion’s Pirelli Stadium or in the graveyard at St Modwen's Church, in Burton's Market Place.
The team of 14 young Brewers will spend the night sleeping in cardboard boxes at the stadium, in the hope of raising enough money so others don't have to.
Brynly Wilkins, one of the players, said he hopes the whole sleep-out event will help those less fortunate.
He said: "I think that it is only fair for us to realise just how some homeless people are spending every night. It just gives you an idea of what some people are having to do while we are at home and warm.
"We are hoping to raise awareness of what people who are actually homeless have to go through."
The YMCA sleep-out
Team mate Louis Bassett mirrored his thoughts, explaining that he believes it is important for the town, including the football club, to come together to try to make a difference.
He said: "We want to raise money for the charity and appreciate what we have because it is a great cause.
"It is really good to be doing this as a team, because it is team bonding as well. And, because it is Burton Albion, we are getting involved with the community."
A dedicated online fund-raising website has been set up for anyone wanting to support the players and donate to their cause, which can be accessed online here
What does the YMCA do?
The YMCA is one of the country's largest charities. It helps to support and turn around the lives of those who find themselves homeless.
On a national scale, the charity supplies more than 9,100 beds for those who have fallen on hard 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 looks 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.
It provides more than 270 health and wellbeing facilities, ranging from gyms and swimming pools 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.
