Sheffield United: Chief executive to join fellow Blades directors in sponsored 'sleepout' to raise funds for local charity

Stephen Bettis will sleep outside at Bramall Lane overnight on March 13 next year, to support St Wilfrid’s. The event is in its third year, and raises awareness around the issues of homelessness. The hope is to raise £25,000 –to help pay for the salary of a welfare worker, to work with vulnerable adults and rough sleepers.

Bettis will be joined on the sleepout by Graham Moore, Darren Baker, Mark Ross and Martin Green.

He said: "On behalf of the board, we are delighted to lend our support to this fantastic project. Along with our vice-presidents, I will be sleeping out and closer to the event we hope to be able to announce further members of the club also taking part.

“Sheffield United FC has a long history in assisting with the wonderful work that takes place just down the road at the St Wilfrid's Centre and the 2020 Sleepout reinforces our strong partnership within the local community."

Places for the 'sleepout' are limited and are strictly via online registration at www.stwilfridscentre.org/events.

Places cost £20 per person and participants are encouraged to raise a minimum of £50 in sponsorship.

Louise Finnigan, the interim director of St Wilfrid's, added: "Spending the night outside is always a challenge for anyone but those taking part in this event can go back to the comforts of their own home. We work with people at the Centre daily who aren't so fortunate.

“We know first-hand how destructive sleeping rough is to people's mental health and over all well-being. This event will help raise much needed money to pay for the salary of one of our welfare workers, who provides one to one support to people who live on the streets or live in temporary accommodation and support them getting involved in a wide variety of life enhancing skills and activities that we run here at the centre or getting back on their feet.

“The need for our services is greater today than it has ever been and by taking part in the sleepout, you are helping support the needs of some of Sheffield's most vulnerable adults."

To register for the event, or find out more, visit stwilfridscentre.org/events or contact [email protected].