Tonight Is 2014 'Byte Night:' Are You Sleeping Rough For Charity?

Tonight, IT company executives, as well as professionals, will be sleeping rough in the latest 'Byte Night' overnight rough sleepout for charity.

The event, set up in London in 1998 by UK IT PR luminary Ken Deeks, now takes place at eight locations across the UK, with sleepouts in Manchester, Belfast, Reading and Edinburgh.

The event grew out of an attempt to allow the UK IT scene to 'give back:' charity and philanthropy events have long been a mainstay of the US IT sector, but had been less so this side of the Atlantic.

The first 'Byte Night' attracted 30 sleepers and raised £35,000; this year as many as 1,400 may rock up with their sleepings bags, say organisers - and the target for 2014 is to bust the £1m raised in the last event in October 2013.

All funds raised go to the charity Action for Children and is spent on projects to help vulnerable young people.

Companies represented by teams tonight include Accenture, Amazon, BT, KPMG and Rolls Royce, among others.

A Hot Meal

"Every year, thousands from the business and technology community spend a night exposed to the elements to support of Action for Children's work to help prevent youth homelessness through sleeping out at Byte Night," Deeks says on his 'Justgiving' page.

"A donation of just £10 could pay for a week's worth of hot meals for a hungry teenager. For a previously homeless young person, £10 can buy a set of pots and pans to help them start to build their own, safe home. By donating £18, you could pay for a warm shower and hygiene kit to help a young person prepare for interviews, allowing them employment opportunities after a time spent homeless.

"Every donation you make will go directly towards combating the root causes of youth homelessness."

24n.biz supports 'Byte Night' and would encourage readers to donate.

And if you are a sleeper - good luck tonight, and fingers crossed there'll be no bad weather!

(c) 24n.biz