Participants sought for Byte Night 2012

Charity sleep-out hopes to raise £5m in 15th year

Staff and executives at IT companies, including the channel, are invited to help Byte Night 2012 raise funds to help young people at risk of homelessness or neglect.

Registration for the technology industry's annual sleep-out for the charity Action for Children is now open, according to event founder Ken Deeks.

"Byte Night 2012 marks the culmination of 14 years of generosity, commitment and most of all, sleepless nights," said Deeks, who is also director of PR company The Amber Group. "Who would have thought on that cold October night in 1998 that 15 years later, not only would we still be going, but we would be growing."

The event will take place on the night of 5 October at several UK locations and is hoping for 1,000 sleepers in total. Since the annual sleep-out began, about 2,000 people have taken part. Pictured (above and below) are participants at previous Byte Nights.

Andrew Harris, fundraising director at Action for Children, said the funds raised help the charity to provide support and accommodation to vulnerable children and young people at risk of homelessness.

"For the campaign to have been running for 15 years is testament to the passion and generosity of the technology and business community," said Harris.

Registration is at http://www.bytenight.org.uk