A TEAM of staff from a Hampshire law firm braved freezing temperatures to take part in a charity sleep out in aid of homeless forces veterans.

Fifteen hardy souls from the Southampton office Irwin Mitchell unfurled their sleeping bags and huddled together on the cold stone floor of Salisbury Cathedral to take part in Alabare’s The Big Sleep.

The night the cathedral was the flagship fundraising event of the year for Alabare, a charity that supports more than 3,000 vulnerable, homeless and marginalised people across the south and south-west of England and Wales.

Andrew Buckham, head of Irwin Mitchell’s military team in Southampton, who spent seven years in the army, helped organise the night.

He said: “For some adapting to civilian life after leaving the Armed Forces can be difficult, and through no fault of their own, some end up on the streets.

“Nobody should have to find themselves in such a situation regardless of their background. The Southampton office felt passionately about trying to raise awareness of what homeless veterans go through so decided to take part in The Big Sleep.

“While we only slept out for a night, many of us found it a real challenge. Perhaps unsurprisingly the hardest thing to deal with for many of us was the cold. It was absolutely freezing but the spirit and camaraderie kept us all going."

The Irwin Mitchell team raised £2,225.