Crewe landmark church named as venue for YMCA Sleep Easy 2026

Sleeping bags will be rolled out and cardboard laid down at iconic Christ Church, Prince Albert Street, Crewe on Friday 6 March 2026, as local residents give up their beds for one night to raise funds for people who do not have a safe place to call home.

YMCA Cheshire is inviting local residents, schools, businesses, and community groups to take part in YMCA Sleep Easy 2026, a national fundraising challenge that asks participants to sleep somewhere uncomfortable for one night to raise funds and awareness about youth homelessness.

The event brings people together for a shared overnight experience that, while symbolic, highlights a daily reality for thousands of young people facing housing insecurity across the UK.

For many, Sleep Easy begins with simple acts: swapping duvets for sleeping bags, hot showers for cold mornings, and comfort for conversation.

For YMCA Cheshire, it helps fund the safe bed spaces, housing support and tailored services that young people rely on to rebuild their lives.

By coming together for the night under the stars, participants will be part of a shared experience that builds solidarity, raises awareness and helps YMCA Cheshire continue to provide safe homes and tailored support for young people who need it most.

A proven local impact: When YMCA Cheshire last hosted Sleep Easy events, the community response was strong. In 2020, 22 people raised £1,304. In 2021, 25 people, and one dog, slept out at Crewe Market Hall, helping to raise more than £6,000.

Those funds supported YMCA Cheshire’s housing and homelessness services, providing safe accommodation each night alongside practical and emotional support to help young people move forward with stability and confidence.

Why Sleep Easy matters: For many young people, homelessness is driven by rising rents, insecure tenancies, and a lack of affordable housing. The end of private rented tenancies remains the leading cause of homelessness across all age groups, underlining the urgent need for prevention services and long-term housing solutions.

YMCA Sleep Easy offers the public a way to respond, not by recreating homelessness, but by standing in solidarity and helping fund solutions that work.

Mark Hills, Chief Executive of YMCA Cheshire, said: “Our Sleep Easy event is a powerful reminder that lasting change begins with empathy and action, it is not about recreating homelessness but about opening our hearts to it.

“By choosing to spend one night outdoors, our community stands alongside people who face housing insecurity every day. It is a simple but meaningful act that helps us better understand the realities others live with, and, more importantly, helps fund the housing, wellbeing, and support services that YMCA Cheshire has to offer.

“One night cannot solve homelessness, but it can inspire compassion, awareness, and change that lasts far beyond it and I am grateful to everyone who takes part to help turn compassion into lasting change in our own community.”

How to get involved:

1. Sign up at https://events.humanitix.com/ymca-cheshire-sleep-easy-2026
2. If you cannot sleep out, you can donate at https://bit.ly/3NPHcVW
3. Share your experience using #YMCASleepEasy2026 to inspire others to get involved.

For more information, please contact Tammi McClure at tammi.mcclure@ymcacheshire.org.uk or 07539061190