Worcester Warriors launched their Big Sleep-out as the club attempts to raise money and supplies for homeless charities in the city.

Chris Pennell and his Warriors team-mate Justin Clegg, Warriors co-owner Colin Goldring,Worcester Valkyries winger Thompson and Carol Hart, Head of Warriors Community Foundation, were joined by representatives of the Maggs Day Centre for the Homeless and St Paul’s Hostel to launch the sleepout, which will take place at Sixways Stadium on April 4 with all the proceeds being shared between the Warriors Community Foundation, Maggs Day Centre and St Paul’s Hostel.

This will be the second sleep-out at Sixways with the aim attracting 100 volunteers, including community leaders, politicians, religious leaders and business people, to sleep out under the stars and raising more money than ever.

Mr Pennell, a trustee of the Warriors Community Foundation, said: “As players we should be aligned and involved as much as possible with our Community Foundation and its initiatives.

“It’s great to see the likes of Justin Clegg as a young man recognising the importance of that and driving the player involvement.

“We are delighted to lend our support to the Worcester Big Sleep-Out by raising awareness and helping to get as many people involved as possible. As well as raising awareness we would also like to raise a decent amount of money for the three charities.

“Homelessness is probably only something we start to think about when it’s cold, wet and damp. But it’s not a seasonal issue it’s a year-round one.”

Mr Clegg’s involvement in the sleep-out continues his involvement in community initiatives having taken the lead in Warriors’ Christmas Appeal which produced more than 400 items for the Worcester Foodbank.

He said: “Homelessness is such an important cause. There are so many people struggling in Worcester and anything we can do to raise awareness and money for the three charities can only help improve conditions for them."

Thompson, who has been named in England’s Women’s Six Nations squad, was inspired to support the Worcester Big Sleep-Out by the success of last year’s event, saying: “This is such a fantastic cause. Last year it did so well and it was inspiring to hear what they did and how the money raised helped these three fantastic charities to make a difference to homelessness in Worcester,” she said.

Mel Kirk, Chief Executive of Maggs said: “It is getting harder and harder to fund-raise. A lot of our fund raising comes through grant-making trusts and we are having to compete with more and more organisations, so this initiative is absolutely fabulous."

To register for the Worcester Big Sleep-Out or for more information visit: https://worcestersleepout.co.uk/