# School children set new World Record with fundraising event

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2004/06/19/school-children-set-new-world-record-fundraising-event/
- Published: 2004-06-19T23:00:00+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

**A new Guinness World Record for the Biggest Sleepover has been established this
weekend by school children, Scouts and Girl Guides taking part in the Giant Sleepover
fundraising event.**

Four hundred and sixty one sleepovers took place in school and Scout halls across
the UK from 6pm on Saturday 19 through to 9am on Sunday 20 June with an estimated
12,000 children sleeping over. Over 4,000 adults also slept over to supervise the
events.

The event, held for the first time this year, will establish a new Guinness Book
of World Records mark for the Biggest Multi-location Sleepover. It will have raised
over £100,000 for schools, Scout groups and other charities.

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One Scout group in North London raised funds for Shelter and spent the night in 
cardboard boxes; another group spent the night on HMS Bristol in Portsmouth Harbour;
and pupils of Langford Primary School, London, spent the night at their school, 
built on the site of a war hospital, and said to be haunted by the ‘Grey Lady’.

The Giant Sleepover was the idea of Steve Malkin, 38-year old father of three from
Sevenoaks Weald in Kent. “It is a free-to-enter event, designed to be fun for kids
and an annual fundraising event for parent teacher associations and volunteers from
scout and guide groups,” he explained.

“There is so much pressure on parents, teachers and scout leaders to raise funds,
we wanted to create an event that they could tap into and make their life a bit 
easier. We sent out an Organiser’s Sleepover Guide Pack and a Treasure Chest full
of free products for each sleepover. We have been overwhelmed with the response 
and success and hope to make the event even bigger in 2005.”

The Giant Sleepover was supported by sponsors including Sainsbury’s Blue Parrot 
Café healthy food range, Tomy’s fast-paced Rummikub numeracy game, Aero Products
self-inflating beds, Top Tumps and the Twits Roald Dahl card games by Winning Moves,
Lil’ Moo Organic Cheese from Dairy Crest, Capri Sun Juice, Fridgeplay, Sheraton 
Hotels and Thames Water.

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