ENDURING the winter weather to sleep outside has become an annual event for former Swindon mayor Stan Pajak.

But now he has persuaded his wife Dawn and daughter Hannah, 16, to help the town's homeless and brave the elements.

More than 72 people last year spent the night sleeping rough on pallets in a car park. They raised £10,000, but this year organisers hope to beat that figure by £5,000.

Coun Pajak said: "I think it is good for Christmas, because it puts you in mind of people who really are homeless," he said.

"After all, Jesus himself was in the same situation. It makes you appreciate the cause."

Mr Pajak joined the sleepout for the first time about seven years ago and his wife has taken part once before.

But it is the first time for Hannah, who intends taking along a few of her school friends.

Hannah said her father had asked her for several years and each time she had said no, but this year she had relented.

"I'm planning on chatting all through the night," she said. "I don't think I'll be doing much sleeping.

"The cold doesn't really bother me that much, but my dad has advised me to wear a bobble hat and thick socks."

Mr Pajak regards the sleepout as one of the more difficult sponsored events he has undertaken.

"It isn't something I can say that I actually enjoy doing, but I do it because it is a good thing to do. It is good for me morally.

"There is always a good atmosphere there and we do get a lot of people going along."

"It is just a pity that organisations such as Threshold have to rely on things like this to raise money," he added.

Run by Threshold Housing Link, the event is taking place at the Immanuel United Reformed Church in Upham Road from 10pm on Friday, December 5.

Tea and coffee and toilet facilities are available in the church hall throughout the night and a cooked breakfast will be served the following morning.

According to the organisation, staff at the Culvery Court hostel in Harding Street in the town centre had to turn homeless people away on almost 800 occasions in the year up to March 2003, because there were no spare beds available.

It is currently working with other agencies in Swindon to try to provide more emergency beds to eliminate the need for people to sleep rough in the town.

Information packs are available by calling Swindon 524661.

tclarke@newswilts.co.uk