A GROUP of Cubs and Scouts from Leigh slept under the stars last month to raise money for the Royal British Legion.

The 18th Leigh Scouts and Cubs completed an overnight sleeper on March 22, smashing their fundraising target of £150 and raising just under £400 for the charity.

Originally section leader for the cub group and organiser, Neil Hickman, signed up by himself but a group of around 25 youngsters decided to join him.

The group aged from eight to 13, faced the rainy and windy weather in the Christ Church garden, Pennington.

The challenge, ‘The Great Tommy Sleep Out,’ sponsored by BAE Systems, aims to raise vital funds to give homeless veterans a safe place to call home, with over 6,000 veterans sleeping rough in the UK.

Neil said: “The kids enjoyed it and they understood what it was and why they were doing it.

“We raised more than we expected. To know the money will be going a long way and help at least one person off the street is amazing.”

Money raised from the sleep-out will go towards essential supplies, such as toiletries and hot meals, for homeless veterans going into emergency accommodation.

Those taking part in the challenge throughout the UK have raised over £1 million in total.

The challenge is not aimed to replicate rough sleeping but to give those taking part an idea of the situation veterans can find themselves in - with people given the choice to sleep outside for one night or more, tent or no tent.

The group aim to take on the annual challenge again next year.

Neil said: “We aim to go bigger and better next year.

“We plan to sleep out at our Scout Camp in Hollinwood which is just a big field. There are no facilities so it will be a challenge.”

The group’s fundraiser is still open and anyone wanting to donate can do so via their Go Fund Me page.

https://www.justgiving.com/page/18thleighscoutgroup-gtso