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WE'RE HERE TO HELP

Hollyoaks highlights homelessness with its own Sleep Out

22 Feb 2012

Hollyoaks' George has found himself homeless

Hollyoaks will be holding its very own Sleep Out next week to raise awareness of youth homelessness.

The cast and crew of the Channel 4 drama will spend the whole night of Thursday 1 March under the starts at its Liverpool based studios, Lime Pictures.

The event comes after weeks of a hard-hitting storyline about George, a 16-year-old experiencing homelessness.

Centrepoint, the leading charity for homeless young people, have been central to the research and execution of this storyline and now both Hollyoaks and Centrepoint are working together on a number of initiatives to generate awareness of the issues young homeless people face and also to raise vital funds for the much needed charity.

Next week, the story of George continues when his supposed friend Phoebe (Mandip Gill) leads him straight into the hands of Deena (Sian Breckin) and Graham (Steven Marsh), the pair who kept them against their will before George luckily escaped.  It's a harrowing and dramatic week as time runs out for poor George - will his friends find him in time?

The Sleep Out - following on from Centrepoint's annual Sleep Out, which sees more than 600 people sleeping out - promises to deliver surprises and guest appearances.

Centrepoint's Chief Executive, Seyi Obakin, said: 'We're delighted that Hollyoaks village is hosting a Sleep Out. Thanks to the storyline that has unfolded over the last few months, a large audience of young people is more aware of homelessness - an issue over 80,000 of their peers face every year across theUK.

'Sleeping out won't be easy for the cast, but it will give them a glimpse of what so many young people go through every night. We urge you to support them, so we can give young people the support they need to turn their lives around.'

To help raise money ahead of the Sleep Out, Centrepoint is offering one lucky fan and four friends the chance to win a Hollyoaks set tour if they donate via text to the charity. Find out more about the competition and the partnership between Centrepoint and Hollyoaks at www.centrepoint.org.uk/hollyoaks.