Bath Rugby Foundation is calling on Bath Rugby fans and city businesses to forgo the comfort of their beds for one night to help tackle an issue that affects too many young people in our community.
The Rec Sleep Out will return on Wednesday 6th November as Bath Rugby’s charity aims to raise awareness of youth homelessness and the vulnerabilities young people often face.
The first Rec Sleep Out took place in November 2018, when a total of 125 people, including first-team players Tom Dunn and Lucas Noguera, as well as members of Bath Rugby’s coaching team, braved the cold to spend an uncomfortable night on the concrete floor of the Rec’s West Stand.
And we will be returning to sleep at the home of Bath Rugby once again later this year.
Bath Rugby Foundation CEO, Lynne Fernquest, said: “This is an issue staff are becoming increasingly aware of. We have young people taking part in our programmes who do not have a safe and secure place to sleep every night.
“Every hour of every day in the UK a teenager becomes homeless and we believe that’s unacceptable in 2018.
As Government funding for youth support services continues to be cut, less and less support is now available for the rising number of youngsters who need it. Vulnerable children aren’t falling through the net – there is no net.
“This has to change. More people need to be aware of this very real and current issue and more needs to be done to tackle it.
“The threat of youth homelessness is an issue we will continue to highlight at Bath Rugby Foundation.”