Pompey sleep-out: How to sign up for charity sleepover at Fratton Park - and get free Pompey pyjamas
If you’ve ever wondered what Fratton Park looks like under the stars, when the floodlights are turned off - now’s your chance to find out.
For several years, Pompey In The Community (PITC), the charity arm of Portsmouth FC, has hosted sleep-outs at Fratton Park, raising money to fund goodwill projects that benefit those most in need.
In the past, these events have seen CEOs and entrepreneurs take the lead. But this year, everyone is invited to sleep in the stands of the Fratton end.
On Thursday, April 23, the stadium will open the gates for this year’s sleep-out, with guests spending the evening getting to know one another before turning in for the night.
Claire Martin, CEO of PITC, said: “It’s all about having a great evening and doing something good together for the community.
“There is a very small charge to take part; what we need to know is that people are committed and want to do it for the right reasons. I think in the past it has always been focused on the homeless, but every one of those people has a story.
“What we want to do is work with people before they get to that stage, and a lot of our projects work with the most needy in the city. Sadly, there is more and more of them.
“It is a bit of fun but it’s got such a good root cause, and is a great networking opportunity too. Everyone here is from our community and doing something for our community.”
In total, the charity expects to see more than 100 people turning up on the night with their sleeping bags, pillows and anything else that might keep them warm.
This is the first year that the sleep-out is being held in partnership with Spark Community Space - a charity that works to support people in Portsmouth who feel left out or left behind. The organisation has enables people to find themselves and their place in society through teaching them new skills, training and simply making new friends.
Founder trustee Becki Simmons said: “When you think about those people sleeping rough in the city, you perhaps don’t realise how the cold hits all the way down to your bones. It’s so difficult to get warm again after that, and experiencing it really hits home.
“Two charities working together is wonderful, and to be doing this with my best buddy is icing on the cake. Hopefully seeing us team up will inspire businesses to start doing the same again too.”
For those who haven’t been to a Fratton Park sleep-out before, Claire had some important advice on what to bring.
She added: “You’re sleeping on concrete, and that takes away a lot of heat from under you. So it’s not just about what you put over you, but also what’s underneath.
“When you see people on the streets, they have often been given blankets and so on, but nothing to protect them from the freezing cold concrete under them.”
To sign up for the event - which will also see you receive a pair of Pompey-themed pyjamas - go to the PITC website.