As an alternative to last year’s hugely popular Sleep Out event, Sleep In 2021 is designed to get the whole family together for a night, spent in a temporary camp, of any kind that can be created at home. Whether this is a tent in the garden, a den in the lounge, or a hammock on a balcony, the aim is to give up the comfort of our beds for a night.

The event is free to enter, and Railway Children will be hosting activities throughout. All the charity asks is that every family taking part raises some money. Those who raise £100 or over will be entered into a prize draw to win a Nintendo Switch, donated by VolkerRail.

Commenting, VolkerRail’s finance director, Andrew Wilkins, said: “Raising awareness of the situation of vulnerable children and the importance of reaching them as quickly as possible is something we should all be a part of. The Railway Children charity does incredible work – worldwide - and we are proud to continue to support this amazing cause.”

Railway Children is an international children's charity working with street children in India, East Africa and the UK, fighting for vulnerable children who live alone on the streets, where they suffer abuse and exploitation.

Getting to children on the streets before an abuser can, and before they become entrenched in street life is crucial – the charity’s aim is to get to children before the streets get to them.

Katie Mason, Railway Children’s events manager, said: “With the current restrictions, we can’t recreate last year’s Sleep Out – when more than 300 people spent one of the coldest nights of the year sleeping in various stations up and down the country – but we can still raise vital funds that will change the lives of children who have to put up with much worse, much more often.

And if you’re one of our top fundraisers you could be in with a chance of winning a great prize.”

The link to find out more about the Sleep In and to register, visit: https://www.railwaychildren.org.uk/events/events/railway-children-sleep-in/