HUNDREDS of youngsters braved the blustery showers to take part in the annual Sleep Out at St Albans Abbey.

Among the throng of people raising funds for local homeless charities was Sandy Walkington, Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for St Albans.

Last year the Sleep Out raised an incredible £45,000 for charity. This year the Sleep Out was supporting Open Door in St Albans, Dacorum Emergency Night Shelter in Hemel Hempstead, North Herts Sanctuary in Hitchin and Stevenage Haven.

Sandy slept in the grounds of St Albans Abbey with his whole family on Friday night.

Speaking on Monday he said: "I took part last year and found it pretty tough. So I persuaded the rest of the family - my wife Francesca, sons Edward and Tom, and daughter Dora - to share the experience.

"We hope to have raised at least £1,000 for Open Door St Albans - we don't know exactly how much since offers of support are still coming in. It is a tremendous event, I take my hat off to the organisers and marshals who will have had much less sleep than ourselves.

"The weather turned out to be surprisingly kind between the storms of Thursday night and the downpours of the weekend. And the backdrop of the floodlit nave and tower is extraordinarily impressive.

"We were able to go back to our warm home and beds afterwards. Other people are not so lucky. That is why the work of Open Door, Kent House and other local charities is so important."

Other dignitaries taking part included St Albans Mayor, Councillor Kate Morris; Deputy Mayor, Councillor Geoff Harrison and Hemel MP Mike Penning.

  • Open Door is an emergency night shelter in Bricket Road, St Albans and is managed by Hightown Praetorian & Churches Housing Association. The original Open Door Project, which started in 1993, was simply a winter night shelter. By 1994 it had been transformed into an all year round night shelter.