COLD weather has been putting the dampner of this year’s YMCA Central Herts Sleep Easy event.

Now organisers are making an urgent appeal for more volunteers to brave the chill and take part.

There are two events in Times Territory from 7pm to 7am outside The Howard Centre in WGC town centre and The Galleria in Hatfield, on January 29.

The WGC-based charity, which provides supported accommodation for 123 residents in Welwyn Hatfield, has already signed up 36 hardy souls, to spend a night sleeping outside.

However the charity needs more recruits and with only weeks to go it is a long way off the original target of 200 participants.

Michelle Gray, head of fundraising and marketing said: “We’ve had a steady stream of people registering to join the event since the launch in the middle of November, however the recent cold spell [around Christmas] has really hindered our efforts.

“We are asking groups of friends, societies or work colleagues to join in and help us reach our target of 200 participants.

“Our fundraising target for this event is �30,000 and we are calling on people from across the community to help us achieve this.

“The Sleep Easy has never intended to involve a comfortable, warm night’s sleep, and for participants it will highlight some of the issues that homeless people face every night.

“However the extreme conditions, which continually affect so many people who have no choice but to sleep rough, appears to have directly affected the number of enquiries that we have received from potential participants.”

To make an enquiry or register for your nearest event please contact the Fundraising Team on 01707 290717 or email fundraising@ymcacentralherts.org.uk