The Big Sleep Out 2015 was held recently, with Honiton Community College students sleeping rough in the college grounds.

A night of sleeping rough has helped pupils from Honiton Community College raise more than £1,000 for a progressive young persons charity.

The Big Sleep Out 2015 was held recently, with pupils sleeping rough in the college grounds.

Last Friday, the pupils presented Young Devon’s homelessness prevention worker, Jenny Lynch, with a cheque for £1,002.63 to support the charity’s housing and homelessness prevention work.

Jenny said: “I was delighted to accept such a fantastic donation on behalf of Young Devon.

“I would like to thank all the students and staff at Honiton Community College on behalf of all of us that work at Young Devon for this fantastic effort and such a brilliant donation.

“Everyone involved in our various housing and homelessness prevention programmes knows just how vital it is that young people have a safe and secure place that they can call home and this donation will certainly contribute towards that.”

Fundraiser Oliver Gorman, 16, said: “It is shocking to realise that some young people don’t have an option but to sleep rough.”

Fellow fundraiser, Luke Chambers, also 16, added: “It has raised awareness that other people the same age as us are experiencing this.”

Young Devon has dedicated supported housing, supported lodgings and homelessness prevention programmes.

Anyone who can help put a roof over a young person or wants to know more about the charity’s work should visit www.youngdevon.org