CELTIC FC Foundation’s 2017 Celtic Sleep Out event took place at Celtic Park at the weekend and the 70+ participants have already raised a magnificent total of almost £30,000, with efforts ongoing.

If you would like to support the Celtic Sleep Out team, there’s still time to donate online HERE 

All funds raised will support our 2017 Christmas Appeal and this is one of a series of fundraising initiatives, including another Sleep Out in the East End of London on Friday, November 24.

We want to help around 300 local families facing poverty, to provide a meal on the table and gifts for the kids. We want to bring the magic of Christmas to those homes. We are also looking to help vulnerable local pensioners to ease the financial burden at a challenging time of year plus a number of other local charities who support those experiencing homelessness or other disadvantage.

The wonderful and brave group arrived at Paradise at 9.00pm – complete with sleeping bags and other supplies for the bitterly cold night ahead – and were directed to the Jock Stein Lounge for a welcome and briefing session. This was followed by a few words on the reality of sleeping rough from Dermot Hill of The Invisibles – a beneficiary charity of this year’s Appeal – who was taking part in the event for the third year in a row.

Then it was team photo time and the group was joined by a very special guest – Celtic’s No.1, Craig Gordon – who stayed for over two hours to chat to, encourage and thank participants. We are very grateful to Craig for giving us his time to provide first-team support to the event. With a sharp bite in the air, his appearance raised the spirits of the entire group.

At 10.00pm, the participants took their places for the long and cold night ahead, perhaps a little apprehensive of what the next eight hours would bring. Camaraderie, compassion, pride and determination endured throughout the event, despite the conditions.

Special thanks must go to the Celtic TV team who gave up their time to cover the event and also to Ambulance Scotland for providing the comfort of paramedic support – at no cost to the charity – throughout the night. Our wonderful band of volunteers even drew great interest from France as Canal+ TV were on site to capture the event.

At 6.00am, spirits remained high as the Celtic Sleep Out drew to a close with a rendition of the Kolo Toure song in the home dressing room, followed by a warm breakfast in the Jock Stein Lounge.

There was an opportunity for participants, at that stage, to donate their sleeping bags and ground mats to The Invisibles and the response was both humbling and overwhelming. These items will have a substantial impact on those sleeping rough on the streets of our city.

Celtic FC Foundation would like to thank each and every Celtic Sleep Out participant for their phenomenal efforts and all of those who supported them along the way. You have made a genuine difference to the lives of the most vulnerable in our community.

Now we turn our attention to our first event Celtic Sleep Out, London event. Participants will ‘Sleep Out’ in the grounds of St Anne’s Primary School in Whitechapel and the venue holds huge historical and emotional significance for the Celtic Family. In 1892, five years after his leading role in the formation of Celtic Football Club, the Marist Order moved Brother Walfrid from Glasgow to the Whitechapel area of London’s East End.

There’s still time to sign up HERE 

Thank you for helping us Share the Spirit of Celtic this Christmas to support those on our doorstep who need it most.