A RECORD number of sleepers swapped warm beds for cardboard boxes to raise more than £25,000 for charity at the weekend.

A sponsored sleep-out was hosted by housing association mhs homes on Saturday.

Some 185 people braved the elements in the car park of mhs homes’ offices in Chatham Maritime – making it the largest sleep-out in the country.

It was the seventh time the housing association organised the event to coincide with National Homelessness Day on Sunday.

The night was launched at 9pm by former church envoy Terry Waite.

He said his experiences as a hostage made him realise how hard it was to sleep rough.

“I spent five years in Beirut sleeping on the floor, not just one night. I know what it is like to be very cold and alone,” he said.

Mr Waite is president of homeless organisation Emmaus, which gives people a roof over their heads and a means of earning a living. Half the funds from the event will help set up an Emmaus community in Medway. The other half of the cash will be donated to Macmillan Cancer Care to help set up a cancer unit at Medway Maritime Hospital.

Mr Waite added: “The more we can get local communities coming together to solve their own problems, the better. That is exactly what is happening here in Medway. It has been a terrific effort.”

Cardboard boxes of all shapes and forms filled the car park; from fairytale castles to rubbish trucks. There were prizes for the best box judged by the Deputy Mayor of Medway, Cllr Nick Bowler.

Among the sleepers were Gillingham and Rainham MP Paul Clark, Afghan student Husien Panahi and the assistant head teacher of Chatham’s St Mary’s Island Primary School Julia Davies. Mrs Davies’ box had been decorated by children at the school.

Organiser mhs set a target of £15,000 but this was smashed on the night. Early figures show the event has raised £25,000 so far.

Full report and pictures in Friday’s Medway Messenger