In December, the world will unite to help fight homelessness with what is thought to be the largest charitable fundraising campaign in a generation.
With an aim of raising £40m, The World’s Big Sleep Out (spearheaded by Josh Littlejohn MBE, founder of social enterprise Social Bite) will take place in up to 50 locations around the world - including London, New York, Edinburgh, Brighton, Newcastle, Cardiff, Dublin, Newport, Belfast, Chicago, Amsterdam, Manchester, Madrid and New Delhi.
Stars including Will Smith, Helen Mirren and Sir Chris Hoy will be taking part.
Research by the Institute of Global Homelessness shows that figures have reached a new level with more than a 100 million people homeless and displaced around the world.
England and Wales has seen the number of people sleeping rough increase by more than 150 percent since 2010. Last year, an estimated 4,677 people were sleeping on the streets on any one night.
Dame Helen Mirren says: "Homelessness on our streets is a real problem in the UK and for many nations throughout the world.
"This coupled with an unprecedented number of refugees being displaced internationally makes this a really important time to focus attention on the issue of global homelessness.
"The World's Big Sleep Out campaign will play an important role in shining the political spotlight on the issues of homelessness and displacement whilst raising considerable funds to make a big difference."
A host of celebrities, musicians, Olympians, acting royalty, top broadcasters and influential politicians will take part in sleep out events on Saturday, December 7, as part of an overall target number of 50,000 people.
The event is being held in the hopes of creating the world’s largest display of solidarity to those experiencing homelessness and displacement.
Will Smith and Dame Helen Mirren will lead the way by telling a bedtime story in Times Square (New York) and Trafalgar Square (London) respectively.
There will also be stripped back, live acoustic music performances with the line-up announced over the coming months.
Josh Littlejohn MBE, Social Bite and WBSO Founder, says: “I am blown away by the response to The World’s Big Sleep Out so far and incredibly excited to have 50 cities all over the world taking part.
"It doesn’t matter if you are taking part in Times Square or in your back garden with your family, by sleeping out for one night on 7th December we can simultaneously express our compassion for homeless people who have no other choice and raise lifesaving funds to make a difference.
"We can also send a message to the world’s political leaders that urgent action is required to address the human suffering that we each witness on our streets every day”.
