Date: 18th October 2025
Venue: Diverse Abilities, Merritown Lane, Hurn BH23 6DT
The Big Sleep Easy Countdown
What Is the Big Sleep Easy?
The YMCA Big Sleep Easy offers an inspiring challenge for individuals, groups, and organisations to raise awareness of homelessness and funds for YMCA Bournemouth—a local charity committed to ending homelessness.
Participants set a fundraising target, wrap up warm, build a cardboard shelter, and spend a night sleeping rough so others don’t have to.
Making a Difference in Dorset
Every year, the YMCA Big Sleep Easy raises thousands of pounds to help tackle homelessness in Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch, and across Dorset. Funds raised support local homeless individuals by providing them with the tools and assistance they need to achieve independent living and a brighter, more secure future.
Not only does the event raise vital funds, but it also fosters team building, informal networking, and demonstrates a genuine commitment to supporting our homeless community.
Why Take Part in 2025?
This year’s event will be particularly special as it will be the last Big Sleep Easy for a while, marking the semi-retirement of Sheena Dayman, our community fundraiser. Let’s make it the most memorable event yet.
We’ve partnered with Dorset’s disability charity, Diverse Abilities, to co-host this year’s event. Funds raised by them will contribute to an Information Hub for people with disabilities who are at risk of homelessness.
Why Join the Big Sleep Easy?
- Raise Awareness & Funds: Help tackle homelessness in Dorset.
- Experience & Empathy: Understand the reality of sleeping rough.
- Community & Networking: Connect with like-minded individuals and organisations.
- Give Hope: Provide critical resources to those in need.
The Diverse Abilities site at Merritown Lane offers plenty of free parking, a secure location, and all the amenities needed for an authentic night under the stars in your cardboard shelter.
We encourage participants to build simple, sturdy shelters to make the experience as realistic as possible.
Get Involved
If you’d like to take part in the YMCA Big Sleep Easy 2025:
Contact Sheena Dayman on 07824 333505
Email: sheena.dayman@ymcabournemouth.org.uk
Join Us and Help Change Lives
Don’t miss this opportunity to make a difference and be part of something truly meaningful. Whether you’re an individual, group, or organisation, your participation helps us create a brighter future for those in need.
Let’s sleep rough for one night so others don’t have to.
Lester Aldridge is YMCA Bournemouth's flagship event partner for the BIG Sleep Easy 2025
The YMCA Bournemouth 2025 BIG Sleep Easy is grateful for the support of all of its sponsors.
Supporters of 2025 Sleep Easy Events
YMCA Bournemouth would like to thank the following supporters for donating services or products for the BIG Sleep 2025:
-
The Beach House, Milford on Sea
-
The White Buck, Burley
-
Marsham Court Hotel
-
Highcliff Marriott Hotel
-
Cliffhanger Restaurant
- The Hilton Hotel
-
Holiday Inn
-
Rick Stein, Sandbanks
-
Poole Cruises
-
The Village Hotel, Bournemouth
- Cumberland Hotel
- The Hermitage Hotel
- Neo
-
Greene King – Commodore Hotel
- Cool Coffee Cart
- Vanguard Services
YMCA Bournemouth would like to thank everyone that came to The BIG Sleep Easy 2025 launch event and especially to those people that signed up on the night to take part in October.
We are looking forward to welcoming a record number of participants this year – so please sign up early to avoid disappointment, as number are limited.
Launch event pictures can be found below:
Thank You for 2024!
A huge thank you to everyone who participated in the YMCA Big Sleep Easy 2024.
Together, we raised an incredible £13,477 to support our homeless community!
Why not hold your own Sleep Easy?
A number of schools, colleges, other organisations & individuals have held “Sleep Easy” fundraising events on our behalf at their own premises. All participants raise funds via JustGiving. On the night they build shelters out of cardboard boxes, before spending a night (in a safe environment) ‘sleeping rough so others don’t have to’.
We provide guidance, set up the fundraising mechanism and provide all the materials to make the event a success. For schools, we can come into the school and talk to the pupils about how they can help to combat homelessness, just by taking part.
To receive an information pack, please email sheena.dayman@ymcabournemouth.org.uk.
Sponsoring a “Sleep Easy”
Sponsorship helps cover the costs of organising the event.
Sponsors benefit from:
- Their logo on Thank You Certificates.
- Branding on event packs.
- Publicity through YMCA’s website and social media.
Sponsors of school events may also participate in judging shelters or awarding prizes.
For sponsorship inquiries, contact Sheena Dayman via email at sheena.dayman@ymcabournemouth.org.uk.
Sponsors of 2024 Sleep Easy Events
YMCA Bournemouth acknowledges the support of the following sponsors:
- Lester Aldridge
- Intergage
- JKD Accountants
- A3C
- Gungho Marketing
- Harry Palmer
- Enhanced
- SJ PP
- Travis Perkins
- ACE Office
- Wessex Rope
- Barchester
- Preston Redman
- ElextriX
- UX Architects
- Steele Raymond
- Even Keel Solutions
- Derrington Group
- Britannia Leatherbarrows
- Wessex Packaging
- Johnsons
- Dominoes
- Travis Perkins
- Suez
- Nicholas O’Hara
- Tax Assist
- Evolve
-
Kindful Creative
-
Frost &Co
-
Dutton Gregory
- TIIEN
Their contributions are vital to the success of these events.
Sleep Easy 2025
“It’s a cause that the students feel strongly about and they’re not quite sure how best to help. And the Sleep Easy gave them a practical way of doing that: raising funds, raising awareness, showing that they care. One night for us is nothing compared to those who have to face this day in, day out.”
Angharad Holloway, Head, Talbot Health School
“We were looking at community engagement because it’s something we think we should do as a business. YMCA Bournemouth is an integral part of our community and by taking part in this event we are helping to change the local social landscape.``
Matthew Barrow, Managing Partner, Lester Aldridge solicitors – Big Sleep Easy Participants
``During the Big Sleep Easy, the AstroTurf was extremely firm and my hands felt numb, so I can’t imagine what it must be like sleeping in a doorway. But what better way is there to make a point about homelessness and raise awareness?”
Chris Palmer, Manager Director, AnyTech Solutions – Big Sleep Easy Participant
“Participation was a personal privilege for me, having spent many years living on the streets due to trauma and addiction issues. I was cold, hungry, lonely, lost and hopeless. It took years to rebuild my life but I am now 9 years drug free, I’ve achieved qualifications and enjoy working for YMCAB helping others in a similar position to me all those years ago. I believe everything I went through can now be used to benefit others to help them rebuild their lives.
Carrie Parker, Senior Housing Officer – Big Sleep Easy Participant
“In a time when we are all being told to stay inside, those of us fortunate enough to have a home can only imagine the stress and hardship that comes with being homeless. This is a worthy cause indeed and we are grateful to YMCA for making this happen.”
Preston Redman, Solicitors – Big Sleep Easy Participant
“We decided we wanted to give back to the local community and we chose a cause associated with our business. We realise that there are people without the opportunity to have their own home so we wanted to support YMCA Bournemouth in the work they do providing homeless people with the tools and resources to get a home for themselves.”
Debbie Corbin, Corbin & Co Estate Agents – Big Sleep Easy Participants
“It’s a cause that the students feel strongly about and they’re not quite sure how best to help. And the Sleep Easy gave them a practical way of doing that: raising funds, raising awareness, showing that they care. One night for us is nothing compared to those who have to face this day in, day out.”
Angharad Holloway, Head, Talbot Health School
“We were looking at community engagement because it’s something we think we should do as a business. YMCA Bournemouth is an integral part of our community and by taking part in this event we are helping to change the local social landscape.``
Matthew Barrow, Managing Partner, Lester Aldridge solicitors – Big Sleep Easy Participants
``During the Big Sleep Easy, the AstroTurf was extremely firm and my hands felt numb, so I can’t imagine what it must be like sleeping in a doorway. But what better way is there to make a point about homelessness and raise awareness?”
Chris Palmer, Manager Director, AnyTech Solutions – Big Sleep Easy Participant
“Participation was a personal privilege for me, having spent many years living on the streets due to trauma and addiction issues. I was cold, hungry, lonely, lost and hopeless. It took years to rebuild my life but I am now 9 years drug free, I’ve achieved qualifications and enjoy working for YMCAB helping others in a similar position to me all those years ago. I believe everything I went through can now be used to benefit others to help them rebuild their lives.
Carrie Parker, Senior Housing Officer – Big Sleep Easy Participant
“In a time when we are all being told to stay inside, those of us fortunate enough to have a home can only imagine the stress and hardship that comes with being homeless. This is a worthy cause indeed and we are grateful to YMCA for making this happen.”
Preston Redman, Solicitors – Big Sleep Easy Participant
“We decided we wanted to give back to the local community and we chose a cause associated with our business. We realise that there are people without the opportunity to have their own home so we wanted to support YMCA Bournemouth in the work they do providing homeless people with the tools and resources to get a home for themselves.”
Debbie Corbin, Corbin & Co Estate Agents – Big Sleep Easy Participants
