South Western Railway Highlighting ALABARÉ’s BIG Sleep Across the Network
We're getting support from regional train operator, South Western Railway (SWR), as we gear up for our flagship BIG Sleep at St Paul’s Cathedral on Friday, 26 June 2026.
ALABARÉ is getting support from regional train operator, South Western Railway (SWR), as we gear up for our flagship BIG Sleep at St Paul’s Cathedral on Friday, 26 June 2026.
SWR has provided advertising spaces for ALABARÉ at 100 locations across their network, along the West of England mainline and in the suburban area around the capital through May and June.
Posters highlighting the BIG Sleep have started to appear in South Western Railway stations including Salisbury, London Waterloo, Exeter St Davids, Clapham Junction, Twickenham, and Tisbury, with more to follow in the coming weeks.
The BIG Sleep event, the first sleep out to take place in the gardens of London’s St Paul’s Cathedral, will bring 200 of ALABARÉ’s supporters together to raise funds and awareness for veterans experiencing homelessness.
Many of the participants will be travelling to and from the event, taking place on the eve of Armed Forces Day, on trains operated by SWR, making it a natural choice for the advertising space.
Find out more about the BIG Sleep at St Paul's HERE
ALABARÉ supporting veterans at risk of homelessness
We have 90 bedspaces for former military personnel across the South West and Wales, but provides more than just a safe, secure place to stay.
ALABARÉ also offers holistic and pastoral support to break the cycle of homelessness, such as employability training, help with financial budgeting, and wellbeing activities to build confidence and resilience.
The UK is facing a crisis of veterans’ homelessness, with one in every 400 ex-service personnel at risk of having to sleep rough or sofa surf.
Chief Executive of ALABARÉ, Andrew Lord, said:
“The BIG Sleep at St Paul’s, coinciding with Armed Forces Day, will be an important moment for us to showcase the help that’s available for veterans experiencing homelessness, and for our supporters to show their solidarity for the military community facing difficulties in their transition to civilian life.
“It promises to be a fantastic night, as it’s the first time a public sleep out will have been held in the courtyard gardens at St Paul’s, and we have music from the Salisbury Plain Military Wives Choir and the British Imperial Military Band to entertain participants before they bed down under the stars.”
Now You See Me
During June, the advertising throughout the SWR network will shine a light on the stories of people experiencing homelessness – a campaign ALABARÉ is calling Now You See Me.
We’re highlighting that homelessness and mental health often go hand in hand as people veer towards a crisis point.
But with the right levels of trauma-informed and person-centred care, such as the support offered by us, there is a way forward with clients feeling empowered to hope and transformation.
Richie’s Story
The photo campaign features veterans who have been supported by ALABARÉ – among them is Richie.
Richie served 10 years in the 2nd Battalion Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment, carrying out operational tours in Northern Ireland, Afghanistan and Iraq. He enjoyed his time serving, saying:
“It was the best thing I could have done at that age.”
On leaving the forces, he worked for Stoke-on-Trent Council as well as the NHS at The Royal Stoke Hospital.
Richie asked ALABARÉ for support following a breakdown in his mental health.
During his stay at one of the charity’s Homes for Veterans in the South West, Richie rebuilt himself – regularly engaging with ALABARÉ’s nature-based wellbeing programme Boots on the Ground – including participating in ALABARÉ’s Heritage that Heals trips to Malta in 2025 as a participant and again in 2026 as a mentor to fellow veterans.
Richie has since found his own accommodation, full-time employment using the skills he learnt in Malta into practice on a day-to-day basis. Richie is an inspiration to other veterans showing that hope can be found when falling on hard times.
James Tomlinson, Director of Strategic Communications at ALABARÉ, said:
“Thank you to South Western Railway for their support of our mission to break the cycle of homelessness and for donating advertising space across their network of stations.
“This campaign will play a vital role in ensuring people who are struggling know that ALABARÉ are here to help, as well as encouraging travellers who may not have heard of us to get to know us better by catching an SWR train to London to attend the first ever sleep out at St Paul’s Cathedral to hear more.”
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