Lancashire businesses rally for Survival on the Summit as 100 sleep on top of Pendle Hill

A group of organisations have come together to launch a mass sleep-out under the stars on top of Pendle Hill to raise money for young homeless people in Pendle, Burnley and Rossendale.

Positive Action in the Community, which runs the SafeSpace supported accommodation project for young homeless people in the two boroughs are hosting the event in conjunction with Rossendale & Pendle Mountain Rescue Team and Silentnight Beds, and by kind permission of Lord Clitheroe. It is also being supported by Winfields Outdoors, the Seafood Pub Company and Pettys Estate Agents.

The event, which is a first for the infamous hill will take place on the night of the 29th June, when the 100 participants will leave Barley and walk up Pendle to set up camp, returning to the village 12 hours later.

Money raised will go to SafeSpace, which provides high quality, purpose-built accommodation for young people between the ages of 16 and 21, and also delivers homelessness awareness and prevention projects throughout Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale. Every year SafeSpace receives over 350 referral’s and has an ever-growing waiting list of young people who are at risk of, or who are homeless.  

Charity manager Claire Bennett said “We’re delighted to be able to mark our 21st Birthday by putting on such an iconic event. Never before have people had the opportunity to sleep out on top of our most iconic landmark, so we hope lots of people will get involved”.

“The money will be put to really good use too, supporting young homeless people right here in our area. We’re so very grateful to everyone who’s jumped on board to support this momentous event”.

Peter Goble from Rossendale and Pendle Mountain Rescue said “This isn’t an event for the faint-hearted. Whilst this is a summer evening, it’s rarely baking hot on the top of Pendle, but we’re really looking forward to helping logistically with the event and being on hand to keep everyone safe, something we do 365 days a year on this beautiful hill”.

“We’re really looking forward to being able to provide 100 lucky people with this opportunity, which truly is a first, to be able to say they’ve slept under the stars on top of Pendle Hill and it raises money for a great charity too”.

Richard Logan, chief operations officer at Silentnight said “SafeSpace is a project Silentnight has supported previously and our colleagues are really proud that we’re able to again. Whilst we provide millions of people with a goods night sleep every night, being able to ensure we can help the most vulnerable in society to have a safe place is something that’s really important to us”.

“The work that SafeSpace do is incredible and this event will mean they’re able to continue doing that”.

People wishing to participate in Survival on the Summit can sign up at www.survivalonthesummit.co.uk.