20th December 2016
A troop of Brownies will be wrapping up warm and spending a night under the stars to help raise money to keep older people warm this winter.
The Big Sleep, organised by Cumbria Community Foundation, raises money for the Winter Warmth Appeal – a pot of cash distributed across the county to help older people suffering from rising fuel costs and poor health. People are sponsored to sleep outside for the night and discover what it’s really like to suffer from the cold.
It’s the third time the Brownies have taken on the challenge but the first that they will have ventured out of their village for the sleepover.
1st Wetheral Brownies spent their first Big Sleep in a tent in a garden, the second in the auspicious surroundings of Wetheral Priory and now will be joining hundreds of others beside Lake Windermere on Saturday 28 January.
Ten Brownies aged between 9 and 11, three young leaders and three adults are preparing for their big adventure with each aiming to raise £20. They are also planning to set up a JustGiving page so the little sleepers can be sponsored by those who can’t bear the cold and sleep out.
The Brownies have raised more than £1,300 for the Winter Warmth Appeal by holding their own Big Sleep for the last two years. Helping local, older people stay warm in winter is a cause the girls really care about.
Janice Brown, Assistant at Wetheral Brownies, said: “This year, we gave the Brownies the chance to nominate their own charity to raise money for. The girls came to the overwhelming conclusion that they wanted money they raised to go to local people – not some anonymous national body. They liked the idea of being able to help an old lady in Keswick or Penrith – places they had heard of and places where they were horrified that old folks might be dying of the cold.”
“We are proud that the Brownies recognised that a grant of £600 from a fund administered by the Foundation had helped them to enjoy a residential to the Scottish Borders, and that they wanted to give something back in return.”
Annalee Holliday, Grants and Donor Services Officer, said: “1st Wetheral Brownies have been a big supporter of the Winter Warmth Appeal and it’s fantastic to have them at the actual event. It’s heart-warming to see young people engaging with local charities and raising money for such a worthwhile cause.”
The Big Sleep is held in front of the Low Wood Bay Hotel, Windermere. To find out more or to enter visit www.cumbriafoundation.org/bigsleep/enter.
However, if you really can’t spend a night in the cold, you can still donate towards the Winter Warmth Appeal; phone Cumbria Community Foundation on 01900 825760 or visit www.cumbriafoundation.org/winter-warmth-fund
You can also simply send a text message to 70070 including our code WINT37. You can donate £2, £5 or £10. e.g. WINT37 £5 to 70070.
Or you can send a cheque to: ‘Cumbria Community Foundation’ and write ‘Winter Warmth’ on the back. Send it to: Cumbria Community Foundation, Dovenby Hall, Dovenby, Cockermouth, Cumbria, CA13 0PN.
