More than half of those attending the event were under 18years old. Also taking part were the Mayor of St Albans, Cllr Bert Pawle, the Mayor of Leighton Buzzard, Cllr George Rolfe and Deputy Mayor Karen Cursons, Andrew Selous, MP for South Beds and Mike Penning, MP for Hemel Hempstead.

Brian Peyton, organiser of the event, speaking afterwards, said:

"I would like to thank everyone who took part in the event and who made the sacrifice of giving up a warm bed to raise awareness and money for charities who do so much to help homeless people all the year round.

"Although the weather turned out to be rather damp and it was close to freezing in the early hours of Saturday morning, the sleepers were nevertheless in excellent spirits and there was a general air of excitement".

Many attended a worship event in the Abbey organised by young people and including a youth band from Vineyard and dancing by members of Crown Jewels with homelessness as its theme. Afterwards they chatted with friends in the Abbey refectory over a cup of hot soup served by the Mothers Union before settling down in sleeping bags and under make do cardboard shelters in the cold conditions outside the Abbey.

Pictures can be seen on http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/akataria001/Sleepout08public