THE Borders Wee Sleep Out next month has secured the support of local entertainers, bus companies and the Quarriers Resilience for Wellbeing service.

It is anticipated that several hundred youngsters aged eight to 17 will bed down for the night in sleeping bags at Kelso’s Springwood Park hall - with the heating off - as part of a nationwide event to raise money and awareness of the Social Bite campaign to end homelessness. After the success of the national Sleep in the Park last year, Wee Sleep Outs are being held across the country.

And the Borders Union Agricultural Society Showground is the focus for the big Borders event on Saturday, November 10.

Pupils from Selkirk High have joined their counterparts from Kelso High in organising the Borders Wee Sleep Out.

And free bus travel is being provided to Springwood from Melrose, Galashiels, Earlston and Hawick as well as Selkirk.

Kelso pupil Olivia Ferguson, who came up with the idea for the Springwood event, told us: “It is taking off with so many people coming forward to support and lots of schools talking about it now which is fantastic.

"But schools still need to sign up before the October 31 deadline.

"It was great to get the support and enthusiasm from Selkirk High staff and students, and the wonderful Quarriers staff now supporting students in Borders schools.

"That means we will have plenty of PVG-disclosed adults at the event, along with teachers who have been brilliant in coming forward to offer their support."

During the Wee Sleep Out local singer-songwriter Erin Highton will be performing, along with the popular M-Pulsive Dancers and DJ Pries.

Presenters from Radio Borders will also take to the Springwood Park stage.

And organisers hope to announce more entertainment acts in the coming weeks.

Olivia also revealed: "Robertson’s Buses have offered to pick up people from across all the Berwickshire school areas, Borders Buses are going to run buses from Galashiels, Selkirk and Hawick, passing through Jedburgh, and Austin Travel are picking up in Earlston and Melrose.

"And their brilliant drivers are going to be there at 6.30am on Sunday morning to take everyone back to their schools!

"That’s huge and we’d like to thank them, the Border Union Agricultural Society, Kelso Laddies Association, teachers and our entertainers for getting behind the event.

"We’re also speaking to catering companies and would like to hear from anyone who wants to support our part in the campaign to end homelessness.”

The event is open to all school-children aged eight years old and over, although schools and youth organisations will need a PVG-disclosed adult to sign their group up on the Social Bite website - www.sleepinthepark.co.uk/wee-sleep-out - before October 31.

The Scottish Government last week pledged £6.5m to Social Bite’s campaign.

The charity’s co-founder Alice Thompson is delighted that further support is coming from across the country - including the Borders.

She stated: “The Borders has really taken to Livvy’s Wee Sleep Out in Kelso and we’re supporting her and the Kelso and Selkirk schools to attract as many young people as possible.

"The venue can take up to 600 so there is plenty of space for those who want to spend a night in their sleeping bags supporting our campaign to end homelessness.

"But get signed up before the deadline.”