Big Ibrox Sleep Outs Raised over £46,000 with Supporters of the Rangers Charity Foundation

Big Ibrox Sleep Outs Raised over £46,000 with Supporters of the Rangers Charity Foundation

Supporters of Rangers FC together with the Rangers Charity Foundation have raised over £46,000 to highlight the issue of homelessness in Glasgow by sleeping out at Ibrox Stadium. The Big Ibrox Sleep Out saw fans spend a cold winter’s night, pitch-side under the stars, with just a sleeping bag for warmth, to raise vital funds for Glasgow City Mission’s Overnight Welcome Centre on 18th and 19th November 2022.

Half of the funds raised will support the Foundation’s life-changing work in the community, including: the expansion of the Foundation’s Dream Fund experiences;  helping vulnerable young people attain more at school and projects with key charity partners such as Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity and Bowel Cancer UK.

The Rangers Charity Foundation’s longstanding partnership with Glasgow City Mission is now in its eighth year and the remaining half of the funds raised will go to Glasgow City Mission as it cares for the most vulnerable people in Glasgow this winter. Money raised will help to ensure people without anywhere else to go, are welcomed, valued and given the best support and advice to get into appropriate accommodation.

“We are again extremely grateful to the Rangers Charity Foundation and the Rangers supporters who slept out at Ibrox. The events are brilliantly organised by the Foundation and it is always a pleasure for our staff to meet with the passionate supporters who care so much for the most vulnerable in Glasgow.

The total raised over the two nights is incredible, so thank you to all who took part and to those who donated, your generosity will help ensure nobody will need to sleep rough in Glasgow this winter.”

Jack Geddes, Marketing and Fundraising Manager at Glasgow City Mission

The Overnight Welcome Centre initiative, operated from Glasgow City Mission’s Crimea Street Day Centre, will operate through the night from 1 December to 31 March. Dinner will be served from 6.30pm until 8pm, after which the Overnight Welcome Centre team will be on site to help anyone who finds themselves at crisis point.

The charity is also planning to double its Housing Settlement Officer team so that they can follow up with guests who have accessed the service and develop a person-centred move-on plan for each individual.

“We would like to thank our supporters for their extraordinary commitment during this season’s Big Ibrox Sleep Out. Previous Sleep Out events have been hugely successful events that have done so much for homeless people in our city, raising over £317,000 for homelessness projects to date.

It is a cause close to the heart of our supporters and we are proud to be playing our part in trying to end homelessness in Glasgow as well as making a tangible difference to our work in the community.”

Connal Cochrane, Rangers Charity Foundation Director

Rangers kit sponsor 32Red also pledged its generous support to the Foundation and to every fan taking part in the Sleep Out. 32Red kick-started every participant’s fundraising by donating their first £10 of sponsorship and sponsored the hot breakfast provided for everyone in the morning after the event.

Last season, the Foundation’s donation of over £21,000 allowed Glasgow City Mission to operate the Overnight Welcome Centre from a hotel for 21 full days.

During the three weeks which were fully funded by the Foundation, 100 people stayed at the Overnight Welcome Centre. These 100 guests accounted for 1,560 bed nights.  The average nightly occupancy of the Centre was 29, more than double the previous winter.