WINCHESTER residents are being urged to take away their creature comforts and spend a night sleeping rough for charity.

Organisers of this year's Big Sleep Out are urging residents and businesses to take part in the event on May 6, to raise money to support the work of homeless charity Trinity.

Trinity Winchester supports over 800 people a year who are homeless or vulnerable.

A recent example of Trinity's life-changing work was with Jamie (not his real name), who was an account manager at a leading IT firm.

His life fell apart when he lost his job, his brother was diagnosed with cancer, his friend died in a car accident and his wife left him. Suddenly he became homeless and had a nervous breakdown.

While sleeping rough, he made several suicide attempts until he was eventually sectioned under the Mental Health Act. Once discharged, Jamie went to Trinity to get help and access their services.

Jamie started Dual Diagnosis Counselling, volunteered in the kitchen and made use of the advice services and healthcare. He has since moved into supported accommodation and is now looking to use his experiences and re-train as a mental health practitioner.

Jamie said: “It is so great to have all of these facilities under one roof. There is nowhere else where you can get everything you need in one place. Without Trinity, I dread to think where I might be now.”

Osborne Property Services are one of the long-term supporters of Trinity and work with the charity to provide interview skills training for clients to help them find work.

Neal Allison and a team from Osborne will be taking part in this year's Big Sleep Out.

Mr Allison said: “Last year's event was a huge success for us. It was a great team-building exercise and the whole experience of sleeping out made us all focus on the terrible challenges facing rough sleepers. We would urge local people and businesses to get involved, you won't regret it.”

It will take place in the setting of Winchester Cathedral at the Inner Close from 7pm onwards.

To register for the Big Sleep Out go to www.sleepoutwinchester.co.uk, email Jenny on jenny@trinitywinchester.org.uk or call 01962 842827.

It costs £10 to take part and everyone is asked to raise £100.