A WHOPPING £12,000 has been raised to help homeless people - as 40 business owners, their families, and charity volunteers slept outside overnight.

The St Vincent De Paul’s Centre in Southend helps thousands of homeless and vulnerable people each year, which means it must raise £450,000 every year to meet demand.

In collaboration with Liberty Hygiene Services, St Vincent’s held a “sponsored sleep-out” event on Friday night, at the Brook Road Industrial Estate in Rayleigh.

Centre manager Dan Cauchi said: “We need these resources to run our wellbeing programme, addiction programme, food bank, clothing bank, and our allotment.

“It’s so important to keep people busy while they’re recovering from addiction.

“The allotment grows food for our commercial kitchen, where we cook meals for more than 90 people a night at the centre.”

Echo: Aurora Raduta, Lilia Lamberto and Victoria Jaramillo from Principal Cleaning Services were encouraged by Liberty’s Scott Marshall to join in.Aurora Raduta, Lilia Lamberto and Victoria Jaramillo from Principal Cleaning Services were encouraged by Liberty’s Scott Marshall to join in. (Image: Ben Shahrabi)

Although those taking part enjoyed an evening of music and food around a campfire, Dan insists there was a serious message at the heart of it.

He said: “Sleeping out for one night is nothing compared to what people tell me. I hear terrible stories over and over again from people who are facing homelessness.

“This is about empathy. Any little thing we can do to gain an understanding of how people struggle is always helpful.

“Celebrations like these offer hope, and hope is what we give to those we help.”

Echo: Kent Bray and Dan Cauchi work together to help addicts on the road to recovery.Kent Bray and Dan Cauchi work together to help addicts on the road to recovery. (Image: Ben Shahrabi)

Recovering addict Kent Bray, 59, now works as a counsellor at the centre.

He said: “I was a bank director, but I ended up in rehab when an addiction brought me to my knees. I was in a bad place, pretty close to death.

“But I turned my life around and am now eight years sober.

“During that journey, I found the St Vincent’s centre and was absolutely blown away by it.

“It shows you can turn a negative into a positive. I wholeheartedly support and advocate what Dan and the team do.”

Echo: James Gosling from AJ Chambers, with Liberty’s Scott Marshall, and Alex Somers from Youngs Residential were among those braving the cold.James Gosling from AJ Chambers, with Liberty’s Scott Marshall, and Alex Somers from Youngs Residential were among those braving the cold. (Image: Ben Shahrabi)

Scott Marshall, owner and director of Liberty, said: “I suffer with anxiety and panic attacks, worrying about running my business.

 “My life coach suggested I do some volunteering to ease my stress, so I started working at the St Vincent’s soup kitchen.

Echo: Home for a night - Scott Marshall and Alex Somers in their tent.Home for a night - Scott Marshall and Alex Somers in their tent. (Image: Ben Shahrabi)

“Seeing people in much worse situations than me was a huge wake-up call. Now, I do anything I can to help St Vincent’s.”

Alex Somers, from estate agent Youngs Residential, said: “My whole career has been about putting a roof over somebody’s head. Tonight, this is all about helping those who aren’t able to do that.

Echo: Volunteer Jane Halsall says it's 'crucial' to help.Volunteer Jane Halsall says it's 'crucial' to help. (Image: Ben Shahrabi)

St Vincent’s volunteer Jane Halsall, 63, described the event as “tokenism”, but feels it is “crucial to help in any way we can”.

She said: “We’re going home to a hot bath and a bed tomorrow. But for a lot of our guests, this is their life.”