Business Leaders Fighting #Homelessness and Poverty in London

@The_CEOSleepOut – Monday October 14th, Lords Cricket Ground, London

An estimated 9,000 people sleep rough in London every year, people from every walk of life. 2.3 million people are living below the poverty line in the capital, including over 750,000 children. This number is rising and it needs to end. 

CEO Sleepout host events across the UK for big hearted business and community leaders who pledge to sleep outdoors for one night. The aim is to raise awareness and sponsorship with help from participants little black books to make a much needed difference across London.

“Although it’s only for one night, and doesn’t come close to what homeless people experience night after night, CEO Sleepout is intended to raise awareness and lots of money to fight homelessness locally and nationally, but also to remind all of us in business that we have the power to make a stand against inequality,” CEO Sleepout’s Chief Executive, Bianca Robinson, comments.

Tonight (14 Oct) Lord’s Cricket Ground will host the next London Sleep Out. It’s a chance for the capital’s leaders to bed down with like-minded C-suite execs, business owners and senior professionals from a host of industries – networking whilst helping the fight against poverty and homelessness. Together, they’ll be braving the elements by sleeping outdoors to raise awareness and funds, each pledging to raise a minimum of £2,000.

As well as exceptional networking in an iconic London location, our Lord’s event will be compered by Mickey Noonan, co-Founder of the brilliant Standard Issue Magazine and Podcast. Mickey will host a panel discussion with a keynote from the incredible Dr Sab Cohen-Hatton, Author and Chief of the West Sussex Fire and Rescue service, about her experience living rough on the streets of London.  

“I’m always blown away by the generosity of spirit that the many business people who have taken part bring to our Lord’s event, and want to challenge more of London’s business leaders to show leadership on this issue and get involved,” says Bianca.

Kate Yates, Director of Digital Marketing – Crane Worldwide Logistics, said:

“My business is delighted to take part in the CEO Sleepout in London for the second year running. We believe that businesses can play a huge role in supporting our local communities and improve lives in the locations where we operate through fundraising with our business partners and employees. CEO Sleepout’s selected charities more than deserve consistent and ongoing support from the business community,”

Lora Gene, Founder GeneStyle, said:

”I’m taking part in the London CEO Sleepout event, because I feel as humans, we need to utilise every possible opportunity to help each other. I strongly believe the purpose of life is to practice humanity. Empathy is something humanity desperately needs in large doses. Trying to understand another’s inability to cope with life, without putting judgement on it, without making a comparison, without questioning choices. This is what I feel we should all aim for. I feel extremely privileged to be given the opportunity to understand and practice simple humanity through participating in the London CEO Sleepout, and I intend to do everything in my power to help.” 

Guy Lavender, Chief Executive and Secretary, MCC, Lords Cricket Ground, said:

“CEO Sleepout 2018 raised the magnificent sum of £84,000. This is a real success story, and we hope that the money will help to continue the fight against poverty and homelessness in London. We at Lord’s are privileged to host and participate in the event.” 

To date, CEO Sleepout has raised over £2.2 million with over 3000 participants taking part in their nationwide events. CEO Sleepout alumni include the likes of entrepreneur Lara Morgan, CEO of Amanda Wakeley, Alya Fateh, Guy Lavender, Chief Executive of MCC and the highest CEO Sleepout fundraiser to date, Philip Marsden of Ridgeway Partners – raising a whopping £65,000.

  2019 Participants of note

• Chaucer Consulting
• Warren Groves, Construction Director of Mountpark
• Lora Gene, Founder of Genestyle
• James Chancellor, CEO of Fiction Records
• Crane Worldwide Logistics

  CEO Sleepout Alumni

• Hugh Pym, BBC Health Editor – 2nd year this year
• Cecile Reinaud, CEO Seraphine, 2018
• Ahlya Fateh, CEO Amanda Wakeley 2017
• Brian Bickell, CEO Shaftesbury 2017
• Lara Morgan, entrepreneur

  Top Fundraisers

• Phillip Marsden, Chairman, Ridgeway Partners – £64,943, London 2015
• Kate Donaghy, Ambassador, Depual International – £14,512, London 2016 and £9,303, London 2015
• Darren Carter, Chairman, Peel Hunt LLP – £12,160, London 2014
• Cathy Corcoran OBE, Chief Executive, Cardinal Hume Centre – £10,883, London 2014
• Andrew Allen, Chief Executive, Aabyss Limited – £9,748, Newcastle 2017
• Paul Marshall, Managing Director,  Vesuvius Ventures Limited – £8,515, Newcastle 2018
• Darren Carter, Chairman, Peel Hunt LLP – £7,842, London 2015

  What happens on the night

On the night participants will enjoy the Lord’s Soup Kitchen before heading into the famous Longroom to hear from CEO Sleepout’s partner charities about their vital work. These include Changing Lives, Depaul and Borderline.  

Then it’s out in the cold to the terraces, to unroll sleeping bags and set up for the night’s sleep. Participants can expect to network, chat and fundraise – fundraising – often goes on to the early hours.  

Then, at 6am, it’s time to wake up to the smell of hot bacon or vegetable rolls from the amazing Rapid Relief Team before heading back to hot showers and day’s work. 

• 8pm – register, mingle, soup kitchen.  
• 8.45pm – host Mickey Noonan, of Standard Issue Magazine welcomes us all. 
• Keynote Talk from Dr. Sab Cohen Hatton – Chief Fire and Safety officer at West Sussex Fire Service 
• 9.30 – Panel Discussion Hosted by Mickey Noonan: Bianca Robinson, Sab Cohen Hatton, Dan Atkins, Princess Rara Plumbtre, Gianni Buttice, Shona Fleming and Ed Parker
• 10pm – outside for the night