Kirkby Rotary Club and Ashwood Church members raised £3,000 to help the Mansfield Winter Shelter Project for the homeless by sleeping rough overnight in the centre of Kirkby. The project, based at Mansfield Baptist Church, provides shelter and food during winter.

Rotary club president-elect Philip Hurt said: “Ashfield District Council allowed us to use the new Kirkby town centre plaza and toilet facilities, and provided another volunteer sleeper — Carol Hallam, community wellbeing team leader.

“We met up on the night with just cardboard boxes, plastic sheets, sleeping bags and warm hearts, to face whatever the weather and the town had in store for us. In fact the weather was relatively kind, though a rain squall at 3am didn’t help.”

Zoe Bell, of Ashwood Church, said: “Just one night under these conditions makes you realise even more just how important the shelter is. It is impossible to sleep continuously with the passers-by in vehicles and on foot and, if you add to that the loneliness and lack of security that many would experience if they couldn’t use the shelter, it would be far worse.”

Hannah Buck, shelter co-ordinator, said: “We cannot thank the volunteers enough for the support they have provided, which will allow us to continue our work in the coming weeks and months.”