Watch: Beverley Knight braves Storm Claudia with hardy volunteers for Molineux Sleepout in aid of charities

The 2025 Molineux Sleepout saw around 250 people sleep outside amid the rain and wind of Storm Claudia inside the Stan Cullis Stand at Molineux Stadium on Friday night.

The annual event, which is organised by the Wolves Foundation, helps to raise much needed funds for both the Foundation and for the Good Shepherd, a charity which works to help homeless people across Wolverhampton, with more than £34,000 already raised.

Despite what was a very wet and windy night, the atmosphere inside the Stan Cullis Stand was a friendly and bouncy one, with friends and family setting up sleeping bags, blankets and cardboard boxes to protect themselves from the elements.

In the concourse of the stand, there were opportunities to chat with other participants and members of the Wolves Foundation and Good Shepherd, as well as enjoy a free pie and hot drink from the kiosks and tables set up by volunteers.

On what was the seventh edition of the Sleepout, the number of participants had reached a record number, with a large number of people also taking part virtually for the first time from their homes.

Among the participants bedding down for the night was Wolverhampton singing legend Beverley Knight, who was joined by her husband James for the event, and who said she was incredibly proud to be part of the Sleepout as a Wulfrunian.

She said: "I couldn't be more proud to stand as one of the many people who are here tonight, with 250 people here who are braving the weather to not only foster a community spirit among themselves, but also to raise funds for the homeless via the Wolves Foundation and the Good Shepherd.

"I'm just so proud to be one of that number of people and I know I'm here for one night and I've got my coat, my sleeping bag, I've got layers and I've got my husband, who will be my extra layer, and I've got so many comforts that people who are doing this night after night do not have, so for me, this is one night, whereas for them, it's many.

"If I can get myself through one night and just feel a tiny bit of what the homeless of Wolverhampton and beyond have to put themselves through, then it's worth it."

The participants on the night were a real mixture of young and old, with everyone having raised funds towards the event alongside paying their admission fee to take part.

Among those getting excited for the night ahead was 16-year-old Neve Bordicott from Bilston, who said she and her friends had raised close to £1,000 and spoke about her reasons for taking part.

She said: "Personally, I think it's a really good cause and we've raised around £1,000 towards this charity and I think that homeless people need support, so as young people, we are the future and we are ready to help.

"I can't wait to experience it myself and I just know I'm going to be so grateful when I get home and I know my parents were quite enthusiastic when I told them I wanted to do this, so it's a really good thing that we're doing and I'm proud to be part of the community."

The event began with a series of speeches from invited guests such as Jaki Graham, members of the Wolves women's team, Wolves Foundation ambassador Mitch Lane and people who had been helped by the Good Shepherd, all presented by Sky Sports reporter and broadcaster Johnny Phillips, as well as a message of support from the Mayor of Wolverhampton Councillor Craig Collingswood.

Other people offering thanks for those taking part including Wolves Foundation chief executive Will Clowes, Good Shepherd chief executive Tom Hayden and Wolverhampton West MP Warinder Juss, who all spoke about the importance of the event.

Mr Juss said: "It's good to see so many people here and actually being out here to give a positive message about how important it is to deal with homelessness and they are here particularly on a windy and rainy night.

"Despite the rain and wind, they are out here and they are enduring the cold because they want to give out that message that they are sleeping out for one night at Molineux, but there also people who do this every day.

"After they've done this, they'll be able to go home, have a shower, change their clothes and go back to normality, but there are people in this city who, sadly, will not have the option, so it's wonderful that Wolves Foundation and the Good Shepherd are doing this together and it's great that so many people are here."

Mr Clowes said: "We're really appreciative of the great turnout and we've got a record number, going up to nearly 250 people. which is incredible, and we're surprised, but also thankful for the support.

"We've never done one of these in a storm before, but it's not putting anyone off and everyone is here who was intending to be here, so we're looking forward to a good evening."

Mr Hayden said: "It's so great to see people turning out and braving the poor weather to support this and, every year, we're just blown away by how many people come out to support this event.

"We're seeing people joining us online this year for the first time, so it's fantastic to see so many people, and particularly young people, joining in the event as it helps us to give more people opportunities and help."

Donations are still being taken for the Sleepout at the Wolves Foundation website.