21 Sep 2026
Registration is now open for the annual St Albans Sleepout and organisers are inviting the whole community to come together for one very special night.
On Friday November 13 hundreds of people from across St Albans will gather at Oaklands College to swap their beds for sleeping bags, raise vital funds and show their support for local people facing homelessness.
The St Albans Sleepout is a fantastic opportunity for families, friends, businesses, schools, clubs, community groups and individuals to come together, take on a memorable challenge and make a genuine difference locally. It’s one night with a simple purpose: to raise money, raise awareness and get people talking about homelessness in our community.
The event brings together five local organisations – Herts Young Homeless, Emmaus, Open Door, The Living Room and Centre 33 – all working in different ways to support people experiencing homelessness, hardship and vulnerability.
Their work isn’t only about supporting people who are sleeping rough. It’s also about prevention – helping people before they reach crisis point and supporting them towards a safer and more secure future.
By taking part, you’ll be helping these organisations continue their vital work while shining a spotlight on an important local issue.
Last year, around 200 people took part and together raised £27,763m but this year, the challenge is to go even bigger.
You can create a team with colleagues, persuade your friends to join you, bring the family, get your school or club involved – or simply sign up yourself.
The event is free to enter, but everyone taking part is asked to commit to raising at least £100 per person.
When you register, your own online fundraising page is automatically created, making it easy to start sharing your challenge with friends, family and colleagues. You’ll also receive fundraising ideas and resources to help you hit your target.
Herts Young Homeless events officer Peter Barker said: “Spending one night outside can never replicate the experience of not having a safe and secure place to call home – and that isn’t what the Sleepout is trying to do.
“Instead, it’s about bringing people together and taking positive action. It’s about starting conversations, learning more about homelessness locally and showing support for the organisations working every day to help prevent it.
“There’s something incredibly powerful about hundreds of people choosing to do that together. So, who could you persuade to join you? Your family? Your work colleagues? Your school? Your sports team? A group of friends?
“Imagine hundreds of people gathering at Oaklands College – businesses alongside families, schools alongside community groups, friends challenging friends and individuals simply deciding they want to do something positive.”
Places are limited, so reserve yours now to avoid disappointment and start building your team.
Find out more and register now at www.stalbanssleepout.org.uk or email events@hyh.org.uk for more details.
