A GROUP of Pickering residents are preparing to brave the elements and spend the night sleeping on the streets to raise awareness of a homeless charity for young people.

Safe and Sound Homes (SASH) helps prevent young people from becoming homeless by offering them a room in the home of a volunteer.

The charity runs a service known as Nightstop that ensures young people are kept safe at night in an emergency, thanks to a network of volunteer hosts, who provide a bed for the night, an evening meal and breakfast the next day.

This enables the young people to access the help they need to resolve their problems, so that a time of crisis does not lead to long-term homelessness and unemployment.

Volunteers taking part in the sleep-out on Friday, March 6, include members of the Guides, Pickering Youth Council, Explorer Scouts, church youth groups, as well as the mayor of Pickering, Councillor Joy Andrews.

Organiser Joan Lovejoy, who lives in Pickering, said: “Youth homelessness in Ryedale, as elsewhere in rural North Yorkshire, is very much a hidden problem.

“Rather than sleeping on the streets, young people tend to ‘sofa surf’ with friends and relatives until they run out of options and finally seek help.”

SASH works alongside other agencies striving to prevent long-term homelessness in the 16 to 25 age group.

Last year, SASH offered more than 600 nights of accommodation to vulnerable young people in North Yorkshire who needed somewhere safe to stay in an emergency.

Joan said: “We’re delighted with the support we have received so far.

“The Rotary Club has agreed to provide stewards and Ryedale Lions are sponsoring breakfast.”

“If you would like to show your support of us, but not sleep out, then join us for breakfast on the Saturday morning at Pickering Methodist Church Hall in Potter Hill.

“All are welcome and we would love to see you there.”

Anyone interested in getting involved should phone Joan on 01751 475438.

For more information about SASH, go to sash-uk.org.uk