Manchester Sleepout

More than 500 people set to take part in biggest Manchester Sleepout yet

  • Manchester's biggest sleepout to date will take place at Manchester Cathedral
  • Homeless charity Booth Centre will host the event on 9 November
  • NQ speaks to those taking part including the Rev David Holgate from Manchester Cathedral

Booth Centre’s annual Manchester Sleepout will take place this coming Friday (9 November) and promises to be the biggest sleepout to date with more than 500 people sleeping rough in the cathedral grounds to raise money for the homeless.

Those taking part include the Rev David Holgate, who is the canon for theology and mission at the Manchester Cathedral, where the sleepout takes place.

This year will be his fourth year participating in the Sleepout. 

Reverend Holgate Manchester Cathedral
Reverend David Holgate, pictured above, has participated in the sleepout three times already

He said: “There are lots of people that have to do this every night and not by choice but out of desperation.

I am on the board of the Booth Centre which it gets a lot of funding through the annual sleepout and I know just what a huge difference the money raised goes towards keeping a service right through the year for its clients.”

Last year saw homeless performing arts charity Streetwise Opera perform to participants inside the Manchester Cathedral as participants prepared for a cold night ahead.

Mr “Holgate added: “I’ve always observed it has got a bit of a festival type of feel to it. We all gather in the cathedral, get our t-shirts on and register before finding somewhere to sleep.”

This year marks the sixth consecutive year that the Booth Centre has hosted the event.

Development manager Amy Hinks said: “This is by no means a replication of what it’s like to sleep rough. But the event helps to raise the awareness and vital funds needed to support the growing number of people in our community experiencing homelessness.

We rely on the funds raised by the participants joining the Manchester Sleepout to continue to offer these services.”

Booth Centre Manchester
The Booth Centre helps those who are, and those who are at risk of homelessness

The event also sees local businesses doing their bit in raising awareness for the homeless.

AA Projects Ltd, a management and property consultants based in Manchester, is among a number of local businesses taking part in this years Sleepout.

Alex Speechly, associate building surveyor from the company, said: “For us, it will be a bit cold I’m sure, but at the end of the day we can go home.”

“In the early hours of the morning thinking what it must be like for the people on the streets, I think that reflection will be quite humbling.”

Applications for this years Manchester Sleepout have now closed, with an overwhelming number of participants.

People can still donate to the Booth Centre in support of the cause.