TWENTY people raised more than £2,000 for a homelessness charity when they experienced a night of bedding down on the street.

The sponsored sleep-out was in aid of the York Road Project, which provides accommodation and support for those facing being without a home in Woking and surrounding areas.

On Friday evening last week, the participants laid out their sleeping bags on sheets of cardboard in Albion Square, Woking, aiming to raise awareness of homelessness in Surrey.

The Deputy Mayor of Woking, Cllr Saj Hussain, was among those that tried to get a good night’s sleep opposite the The Wanderer – a statue of a dishevelled man who has been assumed to be homeless.

Those who took part also included the charity’s chief executive, Cath Stamper, people who work for the project, members of local churches and staff from local businesses. It was the fourth year that the sleep-out has been held.

The charity’s community fundraiser, Hannah Cope, said: “We’d like to thank everyone involved who made Sleep Out 2019 a huge success, including Woking Borough Council for supporting the event, Christ Church for providing access to their facilities, Marciano Lounge for supplying hot water and Rooster Shack for dropping off some much-appreciated late-night burgers.

“Most of all, we want to sincerely thank everyone that gave up their bed for a night and those who sponsored our participants.”

For the full story get the 10 October edition of the News & Mail