TEENS slept through wind and rain to raise money for the homeless.

On Friday, December 7, 45 cadets from Wiltshire Police Voluntary Cadets joined forces in Devizes to sleep outside overnight, to experience what it is like to be homeless during extreme weather conditions.

The annual challenge raised £3279 for homeless and support charities, Threshold, The Doorway Project, The Breakthrough Trust and Alabare Christian Care and Support.

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Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire, Angus Macpherson, who took part in the sleepout alongside cadets, is "delighted" with the money raised, and felt the challenge was a "great learning experience" for the volunteers.

He added: “The sleepout is a good opportunity for the cadets to experience what it is like to be homeless, but unlike many homeless young people this was something we only had to experience once before heading home to the warm."

This was the fourth sleepout completed by cadets, and across the four years a total of more than £13,600 has been presented to the charities.

Cadet coordinator Alison Creswell added: “I am very proud of the cadets for completing this challenge. It wasn’t an enjoyable experience. It was cold and extremely wet. Many of them didn’t get much sleep.

“It has taught them not to judge people because of the situation they find themselves in, a valuable skill to have both as a young person and an adult."