Theatre stage is now accessible to all

We are delighted to announce that our Theatre Stage is now more accessible than it has ever been!  Thanks to financial support from the Theatres Trust Small Grants Programme over the past few months we have been able to purchase our new winch lift and have installed it in our Stage Left wing space.  This is just the start of our journey towards making The Y Theatre as accessible as we can within the boundaries of our Grade II Listed status.

 

Audiences and Performers will all be able to benefit from this new lift as it will allow us to offer a far more accessible stage for disabled performers and as it is moveable lift we will be able to utilise it elsewhere in the venue to support our audiences to access better sight lines.

For more information about the accessibility of The Y Theatre venue you can visit the venue website and download our Access Pack.

Sleep out at King Power Stadium in May

We are urging local businesses and residents to get behind our first Sleep Easy challenge on the 16th of May 2023.

The Sleep Easy challenge involves spending one night sleeping out at Leicester City’s King Power Stadium with a cardboard box for shelter. Whilst this isn’t a true reflection of how homeless people live, the charity hopes it will give an insight into how it feels to not have a safe place to call home.

With approximately 184 16–24-year-olds either declared as homeless or threatened with homelessness every day across England and Wales, more funding would have a greater impact locally.

All the money raised from Sleep Easy will benefit local young people and adults who are experiencing homelessness by enabling YMCA Leicestershire to continue running and expand vital services. They include providing safe and welcoming accommodation for homeless people aged 16-25, as well as mental health support and personalised skills sessions to enable young people move forward positively with their lives.

We also offers a safe and welcoming environment for rough sleepers of all ages to get some home comforts such as a cup of tea, breakfast and clean clothes, as well as advice on finding suitable accommodation and support for issues such as poor mental health, unemployment and loneliness.

Request your place today!

Online registration is now open and costs just £20. As well as having the unique experience of spending the night at King Power Stadium and the chance to help homeless people in Leicestershire, participants will receive:

  • A pack containing key information about the event and fundraising tips
  • One cardboard box to create your less comfy space
  • Hot drinks and soup
  • A breakfast roll
  • Prizes for the best decorated boxes

Leicester City Ambassador, Alan Birchenall, added: “We’re delighted to be supporting YMCA Leicestershire with its first ever Sleep Easy fundraising event. At Leicester City, we’re proud to be a part of our local community, and we’re committed to helping local charities that make a real difference in people’s lives.”

Emma Knight, fundraising and communications manager at YMCA Leicestershire, says: “We’re calling on the good people of Leicestershire to join us for our first Sleep Easy fundraiser, to raise vital funds for young people and adults experiencing homelessness. We understand that finding meaningful and different ways to fundraise can be a challenge, but Sleep Easy is a unique opportunity to bring your company, sports team, or social group together for a challenging, yet rewarding event that will make a real difference to those in need. We also appreciate that people have different life circumstances, so we are asking participants to set their own sponsorship target, and are grateful for all donations – no matter how large or small.”

For those who can’t attend or simply want to do more to help, there are many other ways to get involved. Options include sponsoring the cardboard boxes, providing a Sleep Easy breakfast for participants, donating a prize, stewarding, taking photos and more. YMCA Leicestershire welcomes all types of support and urges local businesses and organisations to get in contact with their ideas.

Jamie Mollart, director of advertising agency RKH on Pocklington’s Walk, comments: “As a long-time supporter YMCA Leicestershire, we are thrilled to assist with the delivery of the first ever Sleep Easy event. Supporting the local community is at the heart of our business, and it has been incredibly rewarding for all of our staff to contribute to such an important cause over the years.  The work that YMCA Leicestershire does to provide safe and welcoming accommodation for homeless young people is vital. We urge other businesses in the area to join us in supporting this fantastic event and to raise as much money as possible.”

 

For more information, please visit www.ymcaleics.org.uk/sleepeasy