MORE THAN a hundred people braved the cold and dark on Friday night, raising thousands of pounds for homeless support in the process.

At the end of August each year Launchpad, Reading's homeless charity, hosts The Big Sleep Out.

For one night those lucky enough to have stable accommodation give it up, bedding down instead on the hard grounds of Queen Anne's School.

This year 120 people took part and look set to raise £40,000 to help Launchpad continue to house and help the homeless and those facing eviction.

The evening began at 7pm with scores of then happy campers trooping up to the Caversham School with sleeping bags and cardboard shelters in hand.

At 8pm Ian Caren, the charity's CEO, addressed the crowds before a Launchpad client spoke movingly about his swift, drug fuelled descent into homelessness.

Born into a stable family, the Reading man went to university where he found himself drinking and taking cocaine.

Over the years the rate of his substance use increased along with his financial outgoings, leaving him unable to pay rent and subsequently on the streets.

After two months of sleeping rough and walking around in the early hours to escape the cold, he was helped back onto his feet by charities CIRDIC, iRiS and St Mungos, and was housed by Launchpad.

The charity's newest patron, X Factor star and Reading local Danyl Johnson then revealed the total raised before soup made by Shed Cafe was served, warming the cockles of the assembled sleepers for the cold night ahead.

The day after Lisa-Marie, one of those taking part, described her night in the cold.

She said: "So what did I learn? People are amazing. When we watch the news and life gets us down we sometimes think no one cares and the world is a bad place. Not true.

"It was so heart-warming to be with so many welcoming, kind people who had come together because they care about others less fortunate.

"It's bloody cold sleeping outside in cardboard. The dew had collapsed my box his morning and I was freezing and uncomfortable.

"I'm so lucky I got to come home to a warm house."

To find out more and donate, go to www.launchpadreading.co.uk