Eden Project invites you to sleep between the Biomes this November
One night. A sleeping bag, a patch of ground between the Biomes, and whatever the November weather decides to do.
That is the deal for anyone signing up to this year’s Sleep Out at the Eden Project, which takes place on Thursday 12 November. Local residents are being invited to bed down overnight at Eden to raise money for two homelessness charities working in the region, St Petrocs and the Amber Foundation.
And for the people those charities support, it is far from one night. Organisers describe the Sleep Out as a reminder of exactly that: a single night outdoors, set against the seemingly endless nights faced by those who sleep rough.
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What happens on the night
The evening starts in the kitchen. Participants join cookery workshops with Eden’s chefs and prepare their own dinner.
After that comes an evening of live music, readings and talks from people with direct experience of homelessness. Then it is time to settle in for the night outside.
Breakfast is provided the next morning, which brings the Sleep Out to a close.
Why organisers say this year matters more
The event comes as the Prime Minister has pledged to offer every person sleeping rough in England a route off the streets by Christmas. That pledge is backed by £442 million in funding and modelled on the “Everyone In” approach used during the pandemic.
Organisers say the national attention makes this year’s Sleep Out more relevant than ever. Charities supporting people experiencing homelessness are still struggling to meet need as costs rise, and the darker evenings and colder weather in the run-up to Christmas make things harder still.
The figures for Cornwall and the South West
Organisers point to UK Government figures showing rough sleeping across the South West has climbed by 11% in the past year.
Among 18 to 25-year-olds, the rise is sharper. Numbers in that age group in the region are up 94%, at a time when the same age group has seen a 7% fall nationally.
Research from the Amber Foundation paints a bleaker picture again. According to the charity, fewer people are assessed for homelessness support in the South West than anywhere else in England.
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More than £100,000 raised since 2014
The Sleep Out has been part of the Eden Project’s calendar for more than a decade. It grew out of the charity’s long-standing focus on supporting communities across the UK that are worst affected by social, climate and health inequalities.
Last year, more than 80 people took part and raised over £17,000 between them. Taken together with every Sleep Out since the first in 2014, the event has now raised more than £100,000 for homelessness charities in the region. Eden says that money has helped thousands of South West residents with housing and support.
This year Eden marks its 25th anniversary. Alongside local efforts like the Sleep Out and the annual Cornwall Christmas Fair, which raised £68,000 for local charities in 2025, the charity runs national initiatives including The Big Lunch and Big Help Out. This year those saw 15 million people meet, eat together and lend a hand in their communities.
In 2026 it also launched Nature: Connections and Recovery, delivering six place-based programmes in Gwent, Liverpool, Dundee, St Austell, Morecambe and Belfast, with a new national campaign aimed at improving the health of people and planet by increasing nature connectedness.
What the money supports
Since the last Sleep Out, St Petrocs has worked with 1,504 people. That includes giving 317 people a place to stay at St Petrocs House, preventing almost 200 people from sleeping rough, and supporting more than 1,000 people through its resource centre and outreach teams.
The Amber Foundation works with 18 to 30-year-olds. Among the young people it supports, 86% developed the skills and confidence to live independently, and 82% said their time at Amber changed them for the better.
What they’re saying
Dan James, development director at the Eden Project, said: “We’re proud to be hosting the Sleep Out at the Eden Project once again, in support of the Amber Foundation and St Petrocs, whose work makes a real difference to people in need across the region.
“The Sleep Out is always a memorable and moving evening, and we’d encourage anyone who’d like to take part to register now. Whether you’re joining us for the first time or returning, your support will help these two charities continue their vital work.”
Henry Meacock, chief executive of St Petrocs, said the charity is marking 40 years of supporting people experiencing homelessness. “We have opened five new properties across Cornwall this year,” he said. “This has increased our capacity by 20 people, more than a 10 per cent increase, enabling us to offer 186 people safe, secure accommodation.
“We all want to see a future where nobody has to sleep rough and the commitment to get everyone in by Christmas is a welcome step towards that. But a safe place to stay is only the start. Many people need ongoing support to move out of homelessness and build a more secure future.
“That is why the Eden Sleep Out is so important. It raises awareness and vital funds to help us provide the accommodation and support people need to move beyond homelessness for good. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has supported this wonderful event over the years and to those willing to brave the cold this autumn.”
Becky Fry, fundraising and communications manager at the Amber Foundation, said: “We are delighted to be involved in the Eden Sleep Out again. It is always such a special event and raises much-needed funds and awareness of homelessness at a time of year when things get even tougher for those with no choice but to sleep rough.
“We are so grateful to everyone who has supported this event over the years and hope to see many returners and new faces at the event this year. We’d like to say a special thanks to the team at Eden for hosting this event and for all their hard work each year putting it together.”
Your daily dose of Cornwall
News, events and goings on across the Duchy
How to sign up
The Sleep Out takes place at the Eden Project on Thursday 12 November. You can sign up for this year’s Eden Project Sleep Out on the Eden Project website.
Last year’s 80-plus sleepers set the bar at £17,000.
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