World record is in the bag

The world’s biggest sleeping bag - weighing in at 80kg - has been unveiled.

Created by Yorkshire-based outdoors brand Snugpak, the bag is 20m (65 ft 7ins) long and takes around half an hour to roll out.

It was launched by rugby league legend Robbie Hunter-Paul at Bradford Bulls' Provident Stadium as part of homeless charity Centrepoint's annual Sleep Out event.

Twenty-one first team stars are joining chief executive Hunter-Paul in taking part in the 6 November event, and they want another 200 people to join them.

Sleep Out gives participants a glimpse of what it is like to sleep on Britain’s streets, a harsh reality for some of the 80,000 young people who find themselves homeless in Britain every year.



Money raised by the event will be divided equally between Centrepoint and The Bulls Foundation, which uses sport to educate, motivate and inspire the local community.

Mr Hunter-Paul said: “It was fantastic to have such an incredible piece of kit on show at the Provident Stadium.
“The appearance of the world's biggest sleeping bag acted as an official launchpad for the Bradford Sleep Out, which we are very much looking forward to hosting.

“I am hoping to see as many Bulls supporters as possible joining on Thursday night for what promises to be a great event, designed to raise vital funds for the fantastic work being done by both Centrepoint and the Bradford Bulls Foundation."

Faye Wilson, Centrepoint Regional Fundraising Manager, added: “The sleeping bag is huge, but it’s sobering to think that barely a fraction of the 80,000 young people who find themselves homeless each year would fit in it.

“Sleep Out can never replicate the fear and uncertainty 20,000 homeless young people will face this Christmas. But hopefully the event will draw attention to the dangers they face. We know homeless young people are twice as likely to die as their peers, which is why we urgently need help to get them off the streets.

“The money raised during Sleep Out will help us to support young people as they tackle the physical and mental health problems caused by homelessness and give them the skills and confidence to find work or return to education.”

Visit www.sleep-out.org.uk to sign up. Registration is £25 and participants are encouraged to raise £250.

On 27 July 2002, in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, Slumberjack unveiled what was previously the world’s largest sleeping bag measuring 7.46m (24ft 6ins) wide and 16.5m (54ft) long, and weighing 79kg.

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