A Marlow councillor will brave sub-zero temperatures and sleep in a churchyard in a bid to raise money for a homeless charity.

Cllr Suzanne Brown will join more than 20 other people as they swap their beds for sleeping bags and cardboard boxes in the grounds of All Saints Church in Marlow on November 18.

The Big Sleep Out is run every year by Wycombe Homeless Connection at All Saints Church in High Wycombe, but Marlow has been holding its own fundraising event since last year.

Cllr Brown, a Marlow town and Wycombe district councillor, will once again battle the freezing temperatures in a bid to raise as much money as possible and has currently raised £150.

Reflecting on her experience last year, she said: “I didn’t sleep a wink all night. I didn’t get cold because I had so many layers on, except for my face. It was extremely noisy with traffic going past and revellers in the park, although with the bridge closed I imagine it may be quieter this time.  

“I'm doing it again this year because I am bonkers, but also because homelessness is unfortunately increasing. We are told that we are just three paychecks away from being made homeless. Lots of people are affected by it and it could happen to any one of us.”

The councillor hopes this year’s fundraiser will be “bigger and better” than last year’s.

She added: “I raised £1,200 last year but I am nowhere near that amount this year. I think I did so well last year because it was the first time it was done in Marlow and it was a bit of a novelty. I’d like to raise a £1,000 this year.

“Last year was the first time we had done something like this in Marlow. The sleep out at All Saints in High Wycombe has been running very successfully for many years.”

The vicar of All Saints Church, on The Causeway, Dave Bull, will also be joining the big sleep out with two of his children.

Wycombe Homeless Connection helps around 440 local people every year who face housing crisis, by offering a weekday advice, support and resettlement service and a winter night shelter between January and March.

The charity’s work costs around £190,000 a year and is 95 per cent voluntarily funded.

The event will begin at 7pm on Friday, November 18 and the site must be cleared by 7am on Saturday.

The area will be fenced off and stewards will be on duty overnight and there will be access to toilets and hot drinks throughout the night.

For more information on how to get involved, visit www.wyhoc.org.uk/fight-homelessness-in-your-sleep-join-the-marlow-big-sleepout-2016.

To donate to cllr Brown’s fundraising campaign, visit uk.virginmoneygiving.com/SuzanneBrownmarlow.