Sammy Lee, Natasha Dowie and Becky Easton will join hundreds of Liverpool supporters sleeping out at Anfield next month to raise vital funds for people affected by homelessness across the Liverpool City Region.
The former Reds will take part in the LFC Foundation’s annual Kip on the Kop event on Saturday, September 26, spending the night on Anfield’s famous Kop alongside supporters.
They will be joined by Liverpool fan and comedian John Bishop and former Reds goalkeeper and LFC Foundation ambassador Chris Kirkland.
Sammy Lee is returning to Kip on the Kop after taking part in last year’s event.
The Liverpool-born midfielder made almost 300 appearances for the Reds between 1978 and 1986 and enjoyed a hugely successful spell at Anfield, winning five league titles, two European Cups and four League Cups.
Liverpool FC Women’s record goalscorer and club ambassador Natasha Dowie will also take part.
Dowie enjoyed two spells with Liverpool and was a key member of the team which won back-to-back Women’s Super League titles in 2013 and 2014.
She will be joined on the Kop by former teammate Becky Easton, who also represented Liverpool across two spells and was part of both title-winning squads.
Now in its fourth year, Kip on the Kop has developed into an important fundraising event supporting organisations working directly with people experiencing homelessness and social exclusion across the city region.
Money raised this year will go towards two established local programmes – the LFC Foundation’s Pathway to Worksinitiative and the outreach and wellbeing work carried out by Liverpool Homeless FC (LHFC).
Pathway to Works provides sport-based employability sessions and mentoring for young people who have experienced homelessness.
Liverpool Homeless FC uses football to engage people affected by homelessness, rough sleeping, temporary accommodation, social isolation, addiction recovery and other forms of social exclusion.
Close to 4,000 people are currently engaged with Liverpool Homeless FC thanks to support from the LFC Foundation.
Last year’s Kip on the Kop saw more than 400 supporters spend the night at Anfield, raising an impressive £119,575.
Organisers stress that spending one night sleeping at the stadium cannot replicate the reality experienced by people who are homeless.
Instead, the event aims to increase awareness of the challenges faced by people without a safe and secure place to call home while generating funds for services providing practical support throughout the year.
Supporters wanting to take part can currently receive 25% off registration by entering the code TAKE25LFC.
Participants are encouraged to raise a minimum of £250 in donations.
Entrants must be aged 16 or over, with anyone under the age of 18 required to attend with a responsible adult.
People can sign up here for Kip on the Kop, find out more or make a donation.
READ MORE: LFC fans invited to sleep on the Kop to support people experiencing homelessness
