TWO students have spent a night on the streets to raise money and awareness of a Pembrokeshire food bank charity.

Josh Veale and James Worrall have raised more than £300 to help support the foodbank service offered by PATCH (Pembrokeshire Action To Combat Hardship), and drawn attention to the plight of homeless people.

While their friends enjoyed a convivial Saturday evening in the pubs of Tenby, the 19-year-olds stayed in the open air until dawn broke on Sunday.

“Our strategy was to stay in one place for about 15 to 20 minutes and then move on,” said Josh, from Manorbier, who is completing his A levels at Pembrokeshire College. “People pretty much left us alone, but there were a couple of times when passers-by walked away from us rather briskly.”

The pair – best friends since they met at Tenby’s Greenhill School – managed a short sleep at the Jubilee skate park between 2am and 4am before being awakened by a gust of wind.

Then it was back to the deserted streets of the town to complete their relatively-sleepless night and look forward to the comforts of home.

“We felt very privileged that we both had homes to go to, and it made us really think hard about the people who are surviving and sleeping in the open air all the time,” added Josh, who hopes to go on to study theology at university.

“We certainly think our action helped to raise awareness of the homeless and the work done by PATCH, as a lot of people have been asking us about the charity. We’ve had a really warm response and are delighted to have raised so much money.”

James, of Ludchurch, who is an student electrician at the college, described his experience as “eye-opening”.

He said: “It has really made appreciate the simple, everyday luxuries I have access to.

“As well as being more aware of the problems homeless people face, I think it was useful to challenge ourselves in the way that we did and see things through their eyes.

“Doing this has definitely made me stop and think about the way the majority of society views the homeless.”

PATCH manager Tracy Olin described the boys’ challenge as “amazing”.

“We are so grateful to Josh and James, not just for the amount of money they have collected but because they have helped raise awareness.”

To find out more about PATCH, visit their Facebook page.

PATCH works with referred clients and their families, providing them with food, clothing and household essentials.