Three-hundred volunteer rough sleepers braved the November night air last night to raise £30,000 for homeless and vulnerable people.
They were taking part in homelessness charity Framework's annual Big Sleep Out – held for the first time at Sneinton Market, Nottingham.
Participants aged as young as eight-years-old flocked to take part from destinations as far away as Leeds and Bristol.
Psychology student Tasha Burnley was taking part with a group of colleagues from the TGI Friday's Restaurant at The Corner House.
The 21-year-old said: "There's nine of us here altogether and it's been great fun. We all live in a big city and feel we have a responsibility to help people who are homeless. This is our first year doing this but I think we'll be back next year."
Her group, proudly wearing their distinctive red and white uniforms, raised over £700.
That amount will rise to more than £1,200 when match funding from the restaurant chain's charitable foundation is included.
Eight-year-old Joseph Edwards stole the hearts of many participants by actually wearing his box.
Mum Joanna, of Wilford Lane, Nottingham, said: "We like to do things for charity and I really wanted him to have this experience – to see that there is another side to life and to see that there really are people who do this for real."
Joseph, who attends the Iona School in Sneinton Dale, added: "I really wanted to raise money for homeless people because I think that everybody should have a home so they know they will be safe and warm. I am going to do this again next year."
Framework, is concerned that their good work in reducing levels of rough sleeping will be undone by proposed budget cuts by Nottinghamshire County Council, will spend the sponsorship money on preventing people from becoming homeless and helping those who are.
Framework Chief Executive Andrew Redfern said: "I would like to thank everybody who took part this evening.
"It is truly humbling to know that our work is so well supported in the community.
"I think what overwhelms me the most every year is to see all the faces of those taking part and to see how young they look.
"It shows how much they care about the lives of people they may never meet.
"Of course, this is a fun event and a fun thing to do, but people take part because they care – they care about people who don't have somewhere to call their own home."
