A group of 40 students will spend the night in the Students' Union Car Park in order to raise money for local projects working with the homeless and increase awareness of the problem of homelessness.

The sleep-out will take place between 11pm and 7am with all money raised going to the Space Trust and the Julian Trust Nightshelter.

The sleep-out is part of a series of events about homelessness taking place throughout this year's SCA Week which begins today [Monday February 17].

On Tuesday February 18, the University Debating Society will debate the motion 'This house believes that begging should be criminalised'. The event begins at 8pm in the Wills Memorial Building.

Gillian Ready, SCA Co-ordinator, said: "SCA volunteers have worked with a number of homeless charities over the years. We hope that the SCA Week events will show students and others what can be done to help address the problem of homelessness, whether it's educating people, raising money or volunteering."