Funeral directors raise £2,464 in Stonehenge sleep-out

Chris White Funeral Directors has revealed that two of its staff members raised £2,464 through sponsorship for spending a night sleeping outside at Stonehenge in support of homeless veterans. 

Sophie Nias-Cooper and Beckie Drury, who work at the firm’s Wilton branch, took part in the Big Sleep Stonehenge organised by Alabaré, a charity that supports people experiencing homelessness. The event took place overnight in damp and chilly conditions.

The final donation amount has been boosted by match-funding from Funeral Partners, the group that owns Chris White Funeral Directors. Staff at the Wilton branch also created a window display to promote awareness of the fundraiser, with support from artist Michele Millidge.

More than 120 people took part in the sleep-out, which raised more than £55k in total for the charity. Nias-Cooper and Drury were among the top 10 individual fundraisers, which allowed them to access Stonehenge’s inner circle during the event.

Nias-Cooper said: “More than 120 people took part in the event and it was moving to meet everyone involved in raising money for this great cause. Our community is very rural and has a wonderful community spirit, as evidenced by the reaction to our appeal. The generous support of Funeral Partners was a great boost.

“Even though the weather was trying its best to ruin our night, we didn’t let it dampen our spirits. We even managed to get some sleep. Another highlight was the privilege of our sunrise visit to the stones and Remembrance Service. We were among the top ten fundraisers, and as a special treat, we were allowed to access the sacred inner circle.”

Chris White Funeral Directors operates in Wilton and Salisbury and has been based in Wiltshire for more than 35 years.