11 Aug Huddersfield Town Foundation and The Welcome Centre raise over £9,000 from The Big Sleep Out 7

In March, the Huddersfield Town Foundation and The Welcome Centre united to take part in the Big Sleep Out at Accu Stadium raising a total of £9361.82.

Fundraising volunteers spent a night in the Kilner Bank Stand to raise awareness of homelessness within Kirklees.

It is the seventh edition of the Big Sleep Out, with this year’s event adding to the £170,000 grand total raised from previous years.

Huddersfield Town Foundation CEO Sam Dainty said:

“The money raised from this year’s Big Sleep Out will go a long way in helping the Foundation provide vital services and support for the Kirklees community. It was a privilege to take part in the event and spend time with some of our incredible fundraisers — their passion, commitment and energy were truly inspiring.

We are proud to have partnered with The Welcome Centre, a pillar of the local community whose work makes a real difference to the lives of local people.

I would like to sincerely thank every single person who took part, supported, or donated. Your contributions are helping us to drive real change where it’s needed most.”

The Welcome Centre is a Kirklees-based food bank which has supported families and individuals through providing food parcels, toiletries and other essential items for 20 years.

One of the largest independent food banks in the UK, The Welcome Centre provided over 386,000 meals to people in Huddersfield in 2024, as well as providing an inhouse advice, guidance and support service to address the underlying causes of food insecurity and providing pathways to independence, free from food bank use.

The Welcome Centre Chief Executive Ellie Coteau said:

“The Big Sleep Out is a fantastic example of our community coming together to raise money and awareness for a really important cause. Many of the people using our food bank have experienced or been at risk of homelessness, and the funds raised from this year’s Big Sleep Out will help to deliver essential support for these people when they need it most.

We’re incredibly grateful to the Huddersfield Town Foundation for giving us the opportunity to be involved in the Big Sleep Out; it’s fantastic to be able to work with a like-minded charity for the benefit of our community.

Most importantly, thank you to every single person who took part, donated, or otherwise supported the Big Sleep Out – we really couldn’t have done it without you.”

The Welcome Centre Fundraising Manager Charlie Taylor said:

“We were honoured to be approached by Huddersfield Town Foundation to partner for this year’s Big Sleep Out. Both of our charities are dedicated to supporting local people facing disadvantage, helping them to reach their full potential. It was a privilege to be involved in such a meaningful event, and it’s fantastic to see how much was raised for both of our causes. A huge thank you to everyone who took part and helped fundraise. Your support will make a big difference to our services and the people we support.”

Founded in 2012, the Huddersfield Town Foundation aims to use the power of OUR Club to create opportunities, reduce inequalities and inspire lasting change for OUR community through the delivery of projects across Kirklees and the surrounding area.

The Foundation offers opportunities across education, health and youth engagement to deliver impactful, inclusive programmes that empower OUR TOWN to thrive.