We are delighted to have raised more than £3,300 for homelessness charity, Newark Emmaus Trust, following our first ever Big Sleep Out event.
20 of our colleagues participated in the charity challenge on 26 August, swapping their cosy beds for sleeping bags to spend the night sleeping outside in Digital Space’s head office car park.
Between them, an incredible £2,348 in sponsorship was raised, and with up to £1,000 being priced matched by Digital Space, this took the final total to £3,348.
All the money raised will now be able to support the Trust in providing accommodation, support and training to young homeless people aged between 16 and 25, including pregnant teenagers, young parents, and their babies. All accommodation is provided in Newark and includes shared houses for young people, self-contained flats and houses for parents and their babies or family units.
Our Head of Communications and Engagement, Clare Cater said: “At Digital Space, we have always been committed to supporting local community and charitable causes and when we heard about the fantastic work that Newark Emmaus Trust was doing, we knew that we had to do something special.
“Sleeping outside in a car park wasn’t easy for any of us but it highlighted just how difficult it is for young people who don’t have a home to go to. We are delighted that we were able to raise an incredible £3,348 for the Trust and we are already looking at how we can support the Trust further in the future.”
Nicola Burley, Chief Executive Officer of the Newark Emmaus Trust added: “If it were not for organisations like Digital Space, we would be unable to provide the comprehensive support that we do for our residents. Life at the Trust is richer because of the generosity of the team at Digital Space as well as their families and friends – and we thank them wholeheartedly.
“Every day in some way, we all have a lot for which we need to be grateful and at the Newark Emmaus Trust, we are no different. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to our friends for their magnanimous gesture of sleeping-out overnight in their car park… all for our benefit. Life at the Trust would be very different if it was not for the incredibly generous support of our friends.”
Digital Space undertakes four big charity challenges each year and supports various community events throughout the year. Last year, the team collectively raised more than £6,000 for life-saving charity, St John Ambulance and next month, will be taking part once again in Newark’s Dragon Boat race in aid of Beaumond House Hospice Care.
