St Albans Sleepout: could you sleep under cardboard for the night?

A few sheets of cardboard. A sleeping bag. A cold November night. Could you sleep here?

For one night this November, people from across St Albans will swap the comfort of their beds for cardboard shelters like these – standing together in support of local people facing homelessness.

For most of us, the question “Where will I sleep tonight?” is one we rarely have to ask.

We close our front door. Put down our belongings. Make something to eat. Climb into bed. And we do it knowing that tomorrow, our home will still be there.

Because a home is about far more than having a roof over your head. It’s safety. Privacy. Security. And, perhaps most importantly, certainty.

The cardboard dens at the St Albans Sleepout aren’t designed to recreate homelessness.

One night outside, knowing you have a warm home to return to in the morning, could never replicate the reality of not knowing where you might sleep tomorrow, next week or next month.

But it can make us stop. Think. And do something to help.

On Friday November 13, hundreds of people will come together for the St Albans Sleepout. They’ll build their dens, brave the November weather and raise vital funds to help local people facing homelessness.

Could you sleep here for one night to help someone who doesn’t have that certainty?

Join us. Sign up for the St Albans Sleepout 2026 at stalbanssleepout.org.uk