23 Nov 2025
It might have been one of the mildest on record, but that shouldn’t take anything away from the achievements of the 150-plus people who took part in this year’s St Albans Sleepout.
They exchanged their beds for cardboard at Oaklands College to raise funds and awareness for five local homelessness charities.
The event brought together youth and social groups, families, local businesses, and community members — all united in their commitment to tackling homelessness across Hertfordshire.
The evening began with a performance from local ukulele band Katie’s Jumping Fleas, followed by creative workshops run by the St Albans Arts Team. Charity representatives and local dignitaries, including the High Sheriff of Hertfordshire, Nicholas Buxton, and the Deputy Mayor of St Albans, Cllr Sue Griffiths, delivered speeches highlighting the ongoing challenges of homelessness. The night ended with the Watford Rapid Relief Team serving participants a much-appreciated breakfast roll before they departed.
Participants experienced a glimpse of the challenges faced by those without a safe place to call home, and raised more than £43,000 to support Herts Young Homeless, Open Door, Centre 33, The Living Room, and Emmaus, Hertfordshire.
Herts Young Homeless chief executive Jonny Whitehead said: “We are truly humbled and deeply grateful to everyone who joined us for this year’s Sleepout. It’s always inspiring to see our community come together — braving the cold to raise awareness and much-needed funds for young people facing homelessness.
“The Sleepout is a powerful reminder of the challenges many young people experience night after night, without the comfort or safety of a home. Thanks to the generosity and compassion of everyone who took part and supported the event, we can continue providing vital services that help families and young people build brighter, more secure futures.”
Emmaus Hertfordshire’s business development manager, Gemma Beckett, who took part in her third Sleepout on Friday, said: “Taking part in the sleepout is always a powerful and humbling experience, and this year’s event was no exception. Spending just one night outside reminded us how tough it is for those who face this reality every day.
“It was especially poignant for us because we were joined by our Boxmoor shop manager, Graham, a former companion and a current companion, all of whom experienced street homelessness before joining our community.
“We are beyond proud of them all. A massive thank you also to our generous supporters and fundraisers whose vital funds enable us to continue transforming the lives of people affected by homelessness by providing them with a warm and stable home, employment opportunities in our social enterprises and a brighter future through tailored support, training and personal development opportunities.”
Rachel Marelie, chair of Open Door Charity said: “We are hugely grateful to our supporters who braved the damp and drizzly weather to sleep out for a night last week. Together they raised several thousand pounds for Open Door, which will fund the provision of additional beds at the Winter Beds Project for almost 3 weeks over the winter – a lifeline when the weather turns cold.”
And Mark Wiseman, The Living Room’s Deputy CEO added; “The St Albans Sleepout was a tremendous success, bringing five Hertfordshire charities together for a powerful night of community and fundraising.
“We were delighted by the excellent turnout and the generosity of everyone who took part. Events like this highlight the close link between addiction and homelessness, which is a cycle we work tirelessly to break by supporting people on their journey to recovery and stability.”
Aaron Jacob, a former St Albans City and District councillor, raised over £1,000 after he swapped his bed for a sleeping bag at the sleepout. Aaron, who was representing St Albans Mayor Cllr Teresa Heritage at the event, shared his thoughts on the experience.
“I arrived at Oaklands College for about 7.30pm, wearing multiple layers of clothing in anticipation of the cold, and bought tarpaulin, cardboard and a sleeping bag.
“Surprisingly for November, the weather was remarkably mild. It was spitting with rain slightly, but this was intermittent throughout the night. There were so many other participants and charities represented – it was great to see. I then set out to set up my base for the night. I had layered a lot of cardboard on top of the tarpaulin in the belief that the further I was away from the ground, the better. Rather embarrassingly, it only then occurred to me that the more it rained, the more useless this idea might be, as the cardboard became soggier and soggier.
“I then managed to cover half my base with tarpaulin on top, so that half my sleeping bag was covered, the other half exposed to the elements.
“Perhaps most striking of all was that the weather simply became an afterthought. What most affected my ability to sleep was the fact that I became ever more attuned to the slightest noise, birds singing, say, or someone talking, and any light. The cardboard was pretty rough on my back, making it difficult to get comfortable, and despite wearing multiple layers, I was very conscious of the sleeping bag soaking through, and my legs getting wet.
“I reflected afterwards just how every aspect of this was so difficult, time-consuming, and exhausting. Not just setting up your base. Not just trying to get some rest. But knowing that, night after night, this all has to be repeated.
“I know that the funds I have raised will go to a good cause. I hope, too, that the awareness I have raised of this will make us all aware of the suffering of too many in our local community and across the country.”
You can still donate to Aaron’s fundraising efforts here: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/mayor-st-albans-sleepout-2025
