On 12 October 2024, HealthBus was honoured to participate in the “YMCA Big Sleep Easy” event over the weekend at Talbot Heath School, alongside Bournemouth One Radio.

The YMCA Sleep Easy campaign is an annual fundraising event designed to raise awareness and funds to tackle homelessness. Participants spend a night outdoors, typically in sleeping bags or makeshift shelters, to experience a small glimpse of what it’s like to sleep rough. The event aims to shed light on the realities of homelessness while raising vital funds to support those affected.

Funds raised through the Sleep Easy campaign help local YMCA branches provide essential services such as housing, education, mental health support, and other resources to people experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless. The money also supports programs aimed at preventing homelessness and helping individuals get back on their feet.

In the case of YMCA Bournemouth, the Big Sleep Easy event helps address homelessness in Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch, and surrounding areas in Dorset, offering both direct support and long-term solutions to reduce homelessness in the region. A special thank you to Lorna Child, Sheena Dayman, and Deano Pickering for providing live updates on the radio throughout the night.

The YMCA Bournemouth Sleep Easy raises thousands of pounds each year to address the challenges of homelessness in Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch, and across Dorset. We’re proud to stand with them in this vital work.