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Supporters of the Rangers Charity Foundation have raised over £42,000 to highlight the issue of homelessness in Glasgow by sleeping out at Ibrox Stadium. WATCH the video (video courtesy of Stuart Duncan @Glasgow City Mission).

The Big Ibrox Sleep Out saw fans spend a cold winter’s night under the stars, with just a sleeping bag for warmth, to raise vital funds for Glasgow City Mission’s Overnight Welcome Centre on 26 and 27 November 2021.

The Rangers Charity Foundation’s longstanding partnership with Glasgow City Mission is now in its 7^th year and this season, half of the funds raised will go to Glasgow City Mission as it cares for the most vulnerable people in Glasgow this winter. Money raised will help to ensure people without anywhere else to go, are welcomed, valued and given the best support and advice to get into appropriate accommodation.

The remaining half of the funds will support the Foundation’s life-changing work in the community, including: the expansion of the Foundation’s Dream Fund experiences;  helping vulnerable young people attain more at school and projects with key charity partners such as Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity and Age Scotland.

Jack Geddes, Marketing and Fundraising Manager at Glasgow City Mission, said:

“Once again, we are delighted to send our grateful thanks to all at the Rangers Charity Foundation for your incredible donation. Your continued support of our Overnight Welcome Centre (OWC) is a blessing to us. We can confirm that your donation will cover all running costs for the OWC for 24 days.

“For the second year running, we have hosted the OWC in a city centre hotel with our staff available 24/7 to support our guests as we move them onto a more permanent housing solution. In addition to a room, we serve breakfast, lunch and dinner each day. We also have two Housing Support officers who follow up with all guests that pass through the OWC. They keep track of where the guests are housed and they support them in anything they need to move forward in their life.”

Sleep Out participants spent the night at Ibrox pitch-side and got a small glimpse of the nightly conditions experienced by people in the city who are street homeless.

Connal Cochrane, Rangers Charity Foundation Director, said:

“We would like to thank our supporters for their extraordinary commitment during this season’s Big Ibrox Sleep Out. Previous Sleep Out events have been hugely successful events that have done so much for homeless people in our city, raising over £250,000 for homelessness projects to date.

“It is a cause close to the heart of our supporters and we are proud to be playing our part in trying to end homelessness in Glasgow as well as bring awareness to this important issue.”

Rangers kit sponsor 32Red also pledged its generous support to the Foundation and to every fan taking part in the Sleep Out. 32Red kick-started every participant’s fundraising by donating their first £10 of sponsorship and sponsored the hot breakfast provided for everyone in the morning after the event.