Last Friday Everton in the Community’s Junior Sleepout welcomed 400 young Evertonians to the Grand Old Lady for its first and only child-friendly version of the Goodison Sleepout.
The junior Blues experienced a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity as they spent the night sleeping out in The Sir Phillip Carter Park End Stand while raising funds on behalf of the Club’s official charity.
With just three home games to go at Goodison Park, the young Toffees enjoyed a truly memorable evening at The Grand Old Lady in her final season and raised over £40,000 for EitC.
All funds raised from the Junior Sleepout will be channelled towards the sustainability of the charity’s 60+ programmes and initiatives which tackle a diverse range of social issues and support tens of thousands of individuals across Liverpool City Region every year.
Hosted by Sarah Halpin, the Blues presenter opened the event alongside the charity’s CEO, Sue Gregory, who spoke of her pride as hundreds of local junior Blues came together to raise vital funds for EitC.
The night also welcomed Club fan group, the 1878s as well as singer-songwriter and avid Evertonian, Ryan Rooney, who encouraged the young supporters to singalong to his brand-new single ‘Goodison Park’ which was a performance befitting of the first and only Junior Sleepout.
Reflecting on a special evening, Sue Gregory said:
“What a truly unforgettable night for all involved! We hosted our final-ever Goodison Sleepout for adult supporters last October and that was an extremely emotional evening, but it was extra special to have the young supporters with us at Goodison tonight.
“This is their first and only opportunity to take part in a sleepout at our beloved stadium and I’m so thrilled we were able to give them this extraordinary experience. We also can’t thank them all enough for raising over £40,000 for our charity, their support has been unwavering and will help us to keep delivering our life-saving work.”
EitC would also like to place its thanks on record to the Club’s kit supplier, Castore, who generously donated over 600 beanie hats for all of the young Evertonians and their parents and guardians to wear at the Junior Sleepout.
Meanwhile, although the final edition of the charity’s staple fundraising event has come to an end, the work to deliver EitC’s life-changing provision continues. To donate to the cause, please visit EitC’s Junior Sleepout JustGiving page.
To find out more about how to help preserve the charity’s presence in L4 once the Club bids farewell to Goodison Park next month, click here.
