The Lord Mayor’s Appeal and Pret A Manger’s charity, The Pret Foundation will join forces with Lady Mayoress Florence King this March for the third annual Lady Mayoress’s Sleep Out. Taking place at Guildhall Yard overnight on Thursday March 6, the charity fundraising event asks participants from the City and beyond to ditch their warm beds for the night to help raise awareness of the issue of homelessness.
Launched by former Lady Mayoress, Amanda Keaveny in 2022, the Lady Mayoress’s Sleep Out hopes to offer a glimpse into the reality of sleeping rough, while raising awareness of homelessness in the City. It will directly support two organisations connected to homelessness, with 50% of net proceeds going to The Lord Mayor’s Appeal’s charity partner Homewards; and 50% donated to The Pret Foundation.
It is estimated that over 300,000 people in the UK – nearly half of whom are children – are sofa surfing, sleeping on the streets, staying in hostels, living in their cars or other forms of temporary accommodation (Homewards 2024).
The Lady Mayoress Florence King says, “Homelessness is a growing issue in the City and beyond and a cause very close to mine and The Lord Mayor’s heart. We believe it’s vital to not only raise awareness of what it’s like for a growing number of Londoners sleeping rough, but to support organisations like Homewards and The Pret Foundation who are working tirelessly to find lasting solutions to the growing number of people without a permanent home in the UK.”
Taking part in The Lady Mayoress’s Sleep Out comes with a registration fee of just £25, with a minimum sponsorship target of £300 excluding Gift Aid. Participants will need to bring their own sleeping bags, cardboard, waterproof and warm clothing, evening snacks, water bottles and anything else they need for an overnight stay at Guildhall Yard. Hot drinks and breakfast rolls from Pret will be provided for all sleepers on the morning of Friday March 7.
Prince William and The Royal Foundation launched Homewards in 2023; a transformative five- year programme working in partnership with six locations across the UK to demonstrate that together, it is possible to end homelessness. Homewards has formed locally led coalitions of committed people, organisations and businesses – including in London’s borough of Lambeth, one of the flagship locations – and provides access to an extensive network of best-in-class expertise, potential partners and funders to unlock new ideas and further investment to drive forward local action and find solutions to homelessness.
The Pret Foundation aims to help tackle hunger, poverty and homelessness in communities local to Pret shops around the world. The charity donates Pret’s unsold freshly made food at the end of every day to people who need it most, while also offering financial support to grassroots charities. Central to The Pret Foundation’s work to help break the cycle of homelessness is its Rising Stars programme, which has provided employment opportunities alongside training and financial support for over 800 ‘stars’ since it launched.
Meet Rising Star, Zizo
The Rising Stars Programme has supported people like Zizo, who joined the programme in 2024. Zizo was born and raised in Kuwait and came to the UK as a refugee. Upon arrival, he was placed in shared housing for almost two years, unable to work whilst his asylum application was processed. Once he received his papers, Zizo was given just four days to leave his accommodation. With no money and no job, he found himself homeless, sleeping on the streets of London for two months. Homelessness charity Crisis helped Zizo, finding him somewhere to stay, and referring him to The Pret Foundation’s Rising Stars Programme. He began his placement in a Pret shop in Victoria, under the guidance of his Manager, Drissia. Since graduating from the programme, Zizo has completed barista training and been promoted to Hot Chef.
He says; “The Rising Stars programme, it really helped me. I was homeless, I was jobless. The Pret Foundation gave me a really good chance to stay alive so that I can sort out my life”
Pano Christou, CEO of Pret A Manger and trustee of The Pret Foundation, says: “The Lady Mayoress’s Sleep Out is a powerful reminder of the challenges faced by those experiencing homelessness and a chance for us to come together to make a difference. By supporting this event, we can raise vital funds and awareness for organisations like The Pret Foundation, which is dedicated to creating lasting solutions to homelessness. I encourage everyone who can to take part or support this incredible initiative and help us in our shared mission to build a future where no one has to sleep rough.”
To sign up to The Lady Mayoress’s Sleep Out simply visit https://www.thelordmayorsappeal.org/news-and-events/events-calendar/1406/the-lady-mayoresss-sleep-out/
