Around 150 experts from 26 businesses across the region will take part in Byte Night, the UK’s largest sleep-out, at Cambridge Airport this weekend.

The charity event, where people will sleep rough at Marshall Aerospace, aims to raise funds for Action for Children’s West Suffolk shared housing youth homelessness service.

From 6-11pm on Friday there will be an evening reception including dinner, speeches, a quiz, live auction and Q&A with a young person supported by the charity. The Mayor of Cambridge, Robert Dryden, will also be speaking.

Then from 11.15pm onwards teams will start to bed down for the night, exposed to the elements, before waking up at 6am on Saturday.

Charles le Strange Meakin, partner at KPMG and co-chair of the East Anglia Byte Night board, said: “Although it is always a hard night there is a strong sense of camaraderie, and the difference is we return to warm homes, full fridges and cosy beds in the morning.

“For many young people living in the UK this simply isn’t the case.

“I’ve been lucky enough to meet some of the young people that Action for Children supports and hear their inspiring stories first-hand.

“They often run away from abusive homes but they don’t want to be on their own.

“Every year, I feel proud as more and more money is raised to provide more support, which can really help put their lives back on track.

“One night really does make a lifetime’s difference.”

Companies including KPMG, Citrix, Barclays, Marshalls, Mathworks and EACS will take part to help ensure vulnerable young people across East Anglia have a safe and loving place to call home.

Byte Night 2014 raised over £1.1 million, with more 1,300 people sleeping out on the same night across the UK and the charity hopes to this year raise a further £1.3 million.

To find out more or register to take part next year, visit bytenight.org.uk or contact the Byte Night team on bytenight@actionforchildren.org.uk