Charity Vinnies is seeking leaders in insurance to sign up for this year’s Sleepout fundraiser and participate remotely by spending the night in their cars, backyards or couches.

For the first time, due to COVID-19, the annual event will be live-streamed in an interactive broadcast hosted by television personality Andrew Rochford on the evening of June 18.

“Vinnies is warmly inviting insurance professionals to sign up for the Vinnies CEO Sleepout and nominate their own sleeping location - either their car, couch, or outdoors in their backyard,” the charity says.

Steadfast CEO Robert Kelly has committed to his third Vinnie’s Sleepout after raising a whopping $67,964 last year, while Marsh CEO Australia and Pacific Scott Leney has registered for his seventh after racking up an impressive $54,072 a year ago.

“There's one constant through this pandemic – people are still homeless and need help,” said Mr Leney, who plans to sleep in his Sydney backyard. “Let's kick this off,”

Perth’s Kim Gilbert, director at Zenith Insurance Services, has registered for the ninth time after raising more than $18,000 last year, while Phil White, the CEO of lenders mortgage insurance at QBE, has committed to his fifth sleepout after raising more than $15,000 last year.

Willis Towers Watson CEO Simon Weaver has signed up for the first time, while IQumulate Premium Funding CEO Raj Nanra has agreed to a second Sleepout after raising almost $6500 last year. Geelong Insurance Brokers CEO Don Shields will sleep out for the third time.

The insurance executives join hundreds of high-profile Australians to support people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

The Sleepout raised $7.9 million last year for Vinnies’ services across Australia, where 116,000 people are experiencing homelessness, with one in 14 of these people ‘sleeping rough.’

Register here.