Fundraisers are being invited to take part in a challenging all-night event at the Eden Project on November 6 in support of young homeless people.

Chilly air, sleeping bags and cardboard mats await them at Sleep Out, part of a national campaign to raise £500,000.

For the first time, Eden has joined forces with the youth homelessness charity Centrepoint, which provides vulnerable 16-25 year-olds with a safe place to stay and support to find a home and a job.

Eden will be one of the 12 locations for the Sleep Out event taking place throughout the UK that night.

Money raised will support some of the 80,000 young people who experience homelessness in the UK every year. http://www.sleep-out.org.uk/ Participants will sign up and agree to raise a minimum of £250. Locally Eden has linked up with St Petroc’s Society and the Amber Foundation, one of Centrepoint’s regional ‘End Youth Homelessness’ charity partners.

Eden executive director Peter Stewart said that as an educational charity which works on different projects with homeless people, Eden is fully behind the campaign to support young rough sleepers. It is hoped that companies and organisations as well as individuals will also get behind the event.

He said: “Research has shown that Cornwall has a high number of rough sleepers. A very large majority have a local connection. They have grown up in Cornwall or have lived and worked in the county for a significant time. Others from out of county may travel here fleeing violence or in search of employment and a fresh start. For many, the county is the end of the line on the train. All of them are vulnerable.

“By inviting fundraisers to sleep out for one night on November 6 we will not only be helping to give people an insight into that vulnerability, we will also be supporting organisations which do so much work to alleviate the problem.”

When registering, participants can choose to support one of three charities:

• St Petroc’s Society - On average the under 25s make up approximately 35 per cent of the homeless population in Cornwall. St Petroc's exists to provide a diverse range of services for these people. They provide accommodation, support, advice, training and resettlement services. Within resources available, they strive to provide the best quality of service possible. Their primary aim is to provide these services to people aged 16 - 65 years and for whom no provision is made within the community, either statutory or otherwise. http://www.stpetrocs.org.uk/home

• Amber Foundation - Amber offers a supportive and nurturing environment where young people, whose lives have gone badly wrong, can recover their self-esteem and learn respect for others, as well as other important life skills. Amber helps their residents to think through what they wish to achieve, and provides practical help and advice on how to reach these goals. The very low re-offending rate among Amber’s former residents is just one sign of their success. Amber provides 24-hour care and support every day of the year and whilst the atmosphere is friendly and relaxed, their programme is carefully structured and tailored to the individual. http://www.amberweb.org/

• End Youth Homelessness - End Youth Homelessness (EYH) is a Centrepoint led movement bringing together youth homelessness charities from across the UK. EYH charities support over 12,000 homeless young people in communities across the UK.

Sleep Out participants can raise money to help fund an inspirational day out at the Eden Project for homeless young people supported by End Youth Homelessness (EYH).

Young people will come as part of Eden’s ‘Great Day Out’ programme. The programme aims to introduce them to a positive future, engaging them through the sights and sounds of Eden, inspirational stories, hands-on workshops such as cooking and gardening, and team-building activities that aim to develop confidence, self-esteem, health and well-being. The programme is simply about enjoying a day out somewhere beautiful, and being treated with the respect we all deserve.

All funds raised for the ‘Great Day Out’ programme will be administered by the Eden Project and will benefit young people from across EYH charities. Further information on the charities involved in EYH can be found at www.eyh.org.uk For more information on the event at Eden and for details on how to take part, go to: http://www.edenproject.com/visit-us/whats-on/other-activities/sleep-out-...