Fundraiser visits women’s charity on seventh stop of 10-night sleep-out challenge

4 February 2025 Claudia Lee

A mother has taken on a gruelling 10-night sleep out fundraiser challenge to support vulnerable women and the services that help them.

Lianne Kirkman, 50, will stopover at The Marylebone Project, in Cosway Street, Marylebone, on Friday, marking the sixth consecutive sleep-out as part of Her Fight, Our Night Challenge.

The mum-of-two said: “I want to highlight the need for more women’s centres and some of the great work around the UK.”

Established in 1932, The Marylebone Project provides a life-changing service for women to overcome homelessness in London.

*From the left, Lisa Nicolle, Lianne Kirkman and Kerry Jewell on the first night sleep- out in Leamington Spa (Picture: Lianne Kirkman)*

It is the largest and longest-running centre of its kind in the UK, with 112 residential beds across two buildings, and the only women’s-only homelessness drop-in centre that’s open 24/7, 365 days a year.

Each service user has her own private bedroom and access to shared facilities for up to two years.

More than 50 women are resettled into independent housing each year.

Farn Bain Smith, of The Marylebone Project, said: “Our clients face a variety of challenges including Domestic abuse, Human trafficking, alcohol and drug misuse, unemployment, loneliness, disability and mental health, but whatever their story, we aim to empower them to overcome homelessness and live independent, full lives.”

*Established in 1932, The Marylebone Project is the largest and longest-running centre of its kind in the UK (Picture: The Marylebone Project)*

Ms Kirkman’s journey, which began in her home town of Leamington Spa in Warwickshire on February 1, will take her to organisations supporting women in Coventry, Birmingham, Bristol, Southampton, Plymouth, Doncaster, Hull and, finally Blackpool.

She said: “Every experience is going to be different but I know that we’re going to be met with the same issues around funding, around women not being safe, the effects of trauma and the cycle of abuse, the poverty cycle and women in and out of the criminal justice system.

The challenge will also be documented by film maker, Laura Harvey of Vibe Immersive, and later screened during a conference organised as part of International Women’s Day, on March 7.

*Marylebone Project Staff (Picture: The Marylebone Project)*

Ms Kirkman said: “We’ve got to stop that cycle of abuse. Women caught up in domestic abuse don’t dare leave their partner but if they do they end up in poverty and lose their house and that’s the trigger for the whole mess they end up in.

“And women are being thrown into overcrowded prisons for stealing a loaf of bread to feed their children, and non-violent crimes when they should be getting treatment for the pain and trauma they’ve previously gone through.

“Why are we not treating women the right way?”

Money raised will fund women’s services in Warwickshire. To sponsor Lianne visit: https://localgiving.org/fundraising/Her-Fight-Our-Night-10-day- sleepout-across-the-UK

Pictured top: Lianne Kirkman has taken on a gruelling 10-night sleep out fundraiser challenge to support vulnerable women (Picture: Lianne Kirkman)