How many people will be sleeping out?
Last time we slept out at the Abbey Ruins, 150 people took part. We are expecting similar numbers this year!
Can I just turn up on the day?
No, sorry – for the security and safety of everyone taking part, you cannot enter the event without buying a ticket in advance. Please do remember to bring your e-ticket with you on the night.
Can I leave the event and pop back later?
No. We will head to the Abbey Ruins at 10pm and the gates to the ruins will be locked at 10.30pm. Everyone must remain within the sleeping area until participants wake at 5.30am to enjoy a hot drink and a bacon or vegan sandwich.
Is there parking available?
There is no parking available at the evening venue or at the Reading Abbey Ruins. We would love to encourage you to be environmentally mindful and:
- Use public transport into Reading (both venues are within a 5 min walk of Reading station)
- Car share with fellow participants
- Park in one of the many 24hr car parks in the centre of Reading. The closest car parks are The Oracle and Broad Street Mall
What happens if I wake up early and want to leave?
Please respect the privacy of your fellow participants at all times. If you wake up before 5.30am, please keep as quiet as possible until those around you wake up too. If you need to leave earlier than 5.30am for any reason, please quietly let a member of Launchpad staff know so we can sign you out and arrange to unlock the gates.
What can I do with my belongings?
At St Laurence’s Church before we move to the Abbey, you will have the opportunity to leave your belongings in a cloakroom while we eat dinner and you enjoy the evening entertainment. At the Abbey Ruins, you are wholly responsible for your own personal belongings.
What happens if it rains?
We hope that this experience will give you a very small insight into what it might be like to sleep rough, including cold temperatures and wet weather! If, however, the weather is deemed at any point to be too severe, the Launchpad event manager will make the decision to move everyone to our back up venue – St Laurence’s Church – for the rest of the night.
Will there be toilets to use during the night?
Yes, there will be portaloos on site and these will be open all night. Please refer to your site map for details about where to find them.
Is there a designated smoking area?
Yes. The smoking area is located near the north exit. Please only use this area and do not smoke anywhere else on site. Please refer to the site map or ask a member of staff for directions if you can’t find it.
Can I drink alcohol at the event?
Sorry, no. The Big Sleep Out has always been a dry event.
Drinking alcohol can considerably increase your risk of suffering from hypothermia. In addition, we wish to be mindful of alcohol and addiction issues within the homeless community by abstaining for the night.
Alcohol and recreational drugs are not permitted on site and anybody appearing intoxicated may be asked to leave by Launchpad staff or site security.
Can I bring my pet?
Pets, except support dogs, are not permitted at the event. If your support dog will be accompanying you, please contact us prior to the evening to discuss.
Can I bring a tent, gazebo or cardboard to make a shelter?
No, sorry. We want you to have a taste of what it’s really like to sleep out and so we don’t want you to be too comfortable or under shelter! For this reason, we don’t allow tents, camp or inflatable beds or gazebos. We also don’t allow any cardboard or similar materials onsite. We do encourage you to bring a roll mat/yoga mat to sleep on and lessen the impact of the cold ground, and tarpaulin/ground sheet/plastic sheeting to keep yourself dry if it rains.
Can I bring my children?
For insurance purposes, this event is only for those aged 18+ this year. If you have children and would like to take part as a family, we would love you to consider doing the Big Sleep Out at home, in your garden. Please contact us for more information by emailing fundraising@launchpadreading.org.uk or calling 0118 950 7656.
Will there be any food and drink available?
We will provide you with a hot meal before the sleep out, and you’ll wake up to a hot drink and bacon or vegan sandwich in the morning. You are welcome to bring snacks and non-alcoholic drinks with you but please ensure you take any rubbish with you.
What is your policy on COVID-19?
Please do not attend The Big Sleep Out if you have tested positive for COVID-19.
We would kindly suggest that you take a COVID-19 test if you are able to before attending the event, and all our staff will have tested. Hand sanitiser will also be provided in all toilets and around the site.
We will take reasonable steps to comply with any relevant guidelines at the time of the event intended to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and we will make you aware of these measures. However, we cannot be responsible for the behaviour or health of other attendees, and cannot effectively ensure that no attendees will have COVID-19. Accordingly, we will not be responsible if you catch COVID-19 at the event.
By attending the event, you confirm that you understand and accept that you are attending the event and using any facilities on-site at your own risk.
Refunds and cancellation
Tickets for The Big Sleep Out are non-refundable. In the event of cancellation, we will contact all participants by text or email and we will publicly announce the cancellation on all our social media channels and on our website at launchpadreading.org.uk
What if I have a question that you haven’t covered here?
If you have any other questions, we would be very happy to answer them so please get in touch by emailing fundraising@launchpadreading.org.uk or call 0118 950 7656 (option 5).
