Staff at a St Albans company will be swapping their warm beds for the streets of London when they sleep rough to raise money for charity.

A team of five employees from Rumball Sedgwick will spend the night in Exchange Square in Broadgate with only a cardboard box and sleeping bag on Thursday, November 8.

They are collecting money for Centre Point, a charity that supports young people aged between 16 and 25 living in London and the North East of England.

Jemma Berry, head of property management at the chartered surveyor company, started to plan the event three weeks ago.

She said: “We are a local company and we are very well known in the town but we have never done anything for charity before.

“I thought we should give something back and I thought it would be good to do something to do with housing.

“We manage housing that is worth millions but what about those people on the opposite end of the spectrum who can’t even afford somewhere to live.”

The group will join hundreds of other people for the challenge which is organised by the charity every year.

The brave volunteers will stay on the streets between 7pm and 7am.

Ms Berry added: “I don’t expect to sleep at all.

“Obviously it won’t be as bad as if you have to do it every night but it will be very gruelling.

“I think it will give me a better understanding and make me appreciate my bed on Friday night.”

The group hope to raise £1,250 for the cause.

As well as collecting sponsorship from contractors, family and friends, staff have held a bake sale in their St Peter’s Street office.

Ms Berry said: “Everyone has been really supportive.

“Our contractors have been very generous.

“Hopefully this will just be the start of our involvement with housing related charities.”

To sponsor the fundraiser visit www.justgiving.com/Rumball-Sedgwick-Property-Management.