Byte Night charity sleep-out hits new highs

Byte Night has for another year been heralded as a resounding success as leading names working in tech in the UK gathered last Friday to sleep rough in aid of charity NCH.

More than 200 executives and others from well-known technology suppliers took part.

NCH chief executive Claire Tickell said: "We anticipate we have raised around £250,000. [It will help] those affected by poverty, homelessness and abuse. But we still need to do more."

Byte Night, named by tech PR man and now NCH VP Ken Deeks, this year counted more teams from a broader range of backgrounds than ever before.

James Bennet, a co-organiser who works for Ernst & Young, said: "We're trying to somehow get close to the real experience of what it's like to sleep rough. But we all get to go home in the morning - it's difficult to imagine what it would be like to then get up and walk around."

Many of those taking part in this year's event were doing so for the first time while others have come back, encouraged by the work of NCH with young homeless people and care leavers.

Paul Smith, MD of PR agency Kaizo, said: "I was recently shown around an NCH facility in Bracknell and was really hooked in terms of what they're doing. It's really practical."

Others spoke of raising funds by using websites such as bmycharity.com, usually approaching friends, family, clients and other contacts, though several stressed the whole event doesn't rely on hard sell tactics.

This year's Byte Night, which for the second time took place at Potter's Field, next to City Hall in London, included IT professionals who have benefited from NCH's assistance in the past (see right).