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Kind hearted employees of Wolverhampton company will brave the cold next month to help charity appeal

Employees at a Wolverhampton company are teaming up with a Black Country charity to raise money for youth homelessness,

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Steve Bavington and Grace Maddocks from the Black Country YMCA with Collins Aerospace emplyees who will be sleeping out at Merry Hill next month

Eight workers at Actuation Systems will brave freezing temperatures to sleep out at the Merry Hill Centre as part of the YMCA's national Sleep Easy event.

Last year the Wolverhampton and West Bromwich based charity raised £20,000 from their part of the national initiative, which sees hundreds of people nationwide sleep anywhere but their beds.

The event at Merry Hill will take place from 7pm on Friday March 8 to 7am on Saturday March 9 and organisers are hoping to beat last year's total.

Beverley Momenabadi from Actuation Systems, which is part of Collins Aerospace said: "We’re delighted to be supporting YMCA again and doing our bit for this year’s special Sleep Easy event.

We know from our close partnership with YMCA just how important it is to support homeless young people in Wolverhampton and right across the Black Country and we would encourage all local people to sign up and take part.

“The YMCA is such an important part of our local community and by coming together to raise as much money as possible, we can help it to support even more young people right now and help change lives.”

YMCA Black Country Group chief executive Steve Bavington said: "It’s fantastic to have Collins Aerospace on board with this year’s Sleep Easy.

"The YMCA has enjoyed a close relationship with the team over the years and the support they are providing is invaluable.

“The efforts and money raised from Sleep Easy event last year completely blew us away.

"In a time of uncertainty and impossible personal challenges, communities adapted and united to help those most in need.

“Along with Collins Aerospace, YMCA is calling on our Black Country community to show that support again this year by sleeping somewhere other than their beds and help raise even more vital funding for this national event. One night can make a lot of difference."

The charity in has raised over £75,000 in Wolverhampton and the Black Country from Sleep Easy nights since 2010 and all money raised will go towards the Moving Forward Fund which provides residents with essential goods like

household appliances, interview clothes or qualifications that they need to be able to take that next step towards reaching their full potential

For more information or to register for Sleep Easy 2024, visit www.ymcabc.org.uk/get-involved/fundraise/sleep-easy.