EMPLOYEES of an Rickmansworth-based IT company braved the elements to sleep out in September, as part of a national charity campaign.

Paul Bartley, Nick Masterson-Jones, Adrian Lilienfeld, Steve Grigg, David Gilmore and William Soo, from Voca in Homestead Road, took part in the Byte Night fundraiser organised by children's charity NCH.

Combining sponsorship and company donations, the group raised more than £5,000 for young homeless people.

They enjoyed an evening reception, and then slept out for the night in central London.

Nick Masterson-Jones, IT programme director at Voca, said: "It was a very cold, but dry night, and so we got just a very small taste of what it must be like to be homeless.

"What will remain in the memory, however, were the first-hand stories we heard from a group of inspirational young people, about how NCH had helped them to escape from homelessness.

"Such concrete testimonies of transformed lives were a powerful motivator for all of us. They helped us to resolve to help the vulnerable in our society."

Money raised through the Byte Night event goes towards the NCH's work supporting vulnerable young people, as they learn to cope with living on their own.

The charity helps them find and keep accommodation, develop vital independence skills and access employment and training opportunities.

For more information on Byte Night, or to make a donation, log onto www.nch.org.uk/bytenight.