Leeds Rhinos Foundation partners, Leeds Building Society, will be showing support for the charity in a unique way at the end of October as its Chief Executive Officer Peter Hill joins other business figureheads from the city to help awareness of homelessness in Leeds.
The ’CEO Sleepout’ will take place at Headingley Carnegie Stadium on 30th October and will involve executives swapping the comfort of their beds for a night outdoors in sleeping bags, all to help fight homelessness and poverty in the city.
Hill, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Leeds Building Society, which has been main club sponsors of Leeds Rhinos for the last eleven years, will join Leeds City Council’s CEO, Tom Riordan along with many other senior executives from Leeds businesses and organisations to help raise money for Leeds Rhinos Foundation, St George's Crypt and CEO Sleepout by spending ten hours sleeping outside at the famous sports stadium.
Peter Hill, who has already raised over £3000 in support of the event said: “My life’s work has been built around helping people have the home they want and I’ve been concerned about the rising tide of homelessness in Leeds and other big cities.
“I wanted to do something to raise awareness of the problem, and raise some cash, although I realise that one night’s sleepout does not get close to the hardship and insecurity endured by homeless people night after night .”
The number of people sleeping rough in England has risen nationally each year to over 4,100 people in 2016, with Yorkshire and the Humber contributing over 170 people to that figure.
Through events taking place at famous landmarks throughout the year the CEO Sleepout Charity has raised over £1 million for homeless causes since launching in 2014, by enlisting the help of over 1,000 executives.
CEO Sleepout supports charities that are experienced in helping people in crisis due to homelessness and poverty and some of the funds they raise are funnelled into projects that turn lives around.
Bob Bowman, Leeds Rhinos Foundation Chief Operating Officer said:
“We are delighted to have enlisted the help of some of our key partners for this sleepout event and especially Leeds Building Society and Peter Hill who have provided so much support for the club and Foundation for over a decade.
“As a charity, we are committed to supporting the local community and with figures of homelessness rising and the challenges people face, it is important to be involved in events such as this, so we are very grateful to our partners for supporting us and St George’s Crypt on the 30th October.”
To support Peter Hill in fundraising for the event please make a donation to his personal Just Giving page at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/peterhillleeds
For more information on the CEO Sleepout event at Headingly Carnegie Stadium and how to get involved visit http://www.ceosleepoutuk.com/leeds/