Sleep-out for Guildford homeless charity

Surrey locals are set to take part in a community sleep-out to raise money for a homeless charity.

Around 50 people have been sponsored for the event, organised by UK charity Guildford Action, which will take place outside Guildford College on Friday at 20:00 GMT.

The charity said it has worked with around 80 rough sleepers in Guildford over the last 12 months but it believes there are a lot more people sleeping outside who are not known to local authorities.

Joanne Tester, chief executive of Guildford Action, told BBC Radio Surrey that "nobody chooses homelessness" and community events like this are a "stark reminder" of the conditions many people face.

Ms Tester acknowledged that "people who are rough sleeping are out in all weather" and that a sleep-out event will not ever mimic the harsh conditions people face.

Instead, the community event aims to raise awareness and funds for the charity.

The charity provides daily support, food and healthcare to those who are homeless and also works on preventative measures to limit the amount of people who find themselves rough sleeping.

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