Colleagues at Masthaven Bank are supporting their chosen charity, the youth homelessness organisation Depaul UK, in a sleepout at the Kia Oval in London on Wednesday.

Jon Hall, managing director of the specialist bank, will lead a 13-strong Masthaven team who will be spending the night in sleeping bags at the famous cricket ground to raise awareness of the plight of homeless people this winter.

Depaul UK helps find young homeless people a safe place to stay, with the aim of successfully moving them into stable housing. It also provides long-term support to get their lives back on track.

The sleepout is one of Depaul’s biggest fundraising efforts and Masthaven’s target is to raise £5,500 through sponsorship. To donate or find out more, please visit: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/masthaven-depaul.

Hall said: “We have the luxury of knowing we can return to our warm beds the next day – but not everyone has this security. Part of Masthaven’s mission is to help people with properties and mortgages – but clearly not everyone is lucky enough to be in the position to have a home, so supporting the homeless is something we’re passionate about.

“Masthaven supports Depaul to raise awareness of the issue of homelessness among the UK’s young population. 86,000 young people in the UK approached local authorities for help with homelessness in 2016/17.

This is alongside Depaul UK’s report into sofa-surfing, Danger Zones & Stepping Stones, which sheds light on the desperate choices young people make to find a place to stay at short notice, which can put them at risk of violence, abuse and sexual exploitation. Out of hundreds of respondents to the survey, 72% of females and 59% of males said that temporary living (hidden homelessness) had negatively affected their mental/emotional health.

“Depaul worked with nearly 4,000 young people in 2017 and its mission to end homelessness and change the lives of those affected by it is something we fully support.”

Annie Hall, corporate partnerships manager at Depaul UK, added: “By taking part in the Sleepout, Masthaven are demonstrating a willingness to gain some insight into what life is like for the young and homeless. Giving up the comfort of your bed to help people who are marginalised and living in isolation can be a humbling, valuable and memorable experience which raises important funds to allow Depaul to continue doing our vital work.

“We are very grateful to Masthaven for their ongoing support and look forward to continuing to develop our partnership and ensuring a better future for many young people in need.”