Since then, they have raised an amazing £21,000.

On the morning of the event it was raining heavily and the night’s forecast was not looking good. After an emergency meeting to check contingencies, it was decided to go ahead despite the weather.

As one Guide told her mum: “I’m looking forward to the adventure. If I get wet it’s only for one night and not every night like the people we are doing this for.”

Beginning in the assembly hall, the Guides watched a short video about the work of Bethany Christian Trust. They then queued for soup from Bethany’s Care Van (for people facing homelessness and loneliness this is an essential service that provides food and refreshments, and runs in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Perth)

Activities that followed included warm-up games, a quiz, a flash mob dance routine and shelter building.

The girls sang campfire songs in the gym hall and warmed up with hot chocolate and muffins before bedding down for the night on the cold, hard flagstones. Many managed to find shelter from the rain under the archways and in the stairwells, while others settled down in the quadrangle in their survival bags on cardboard. Most only got a few hours’ sleep.

Breakfast rolls and hot drinks were served at 7am before home for a bath and a nice warm comfortable bed!

The consensus of those taking part was: “it was so cold and so wet but so much fun!”

Those taking part were all sponsored for giving up their bed for one night. Units also held bake sales and other fundraising events. The Guides set a fundraising target of £21 per person; the cost of Bethany providing someone with access to a warm safe bed for a night, hot food and professional support at Bethany’s Rapid Re-Accommodation Welcome Centre in Edinburgh.

In addition to raising money and enjoying some more light-hearted activities throughout the night, the event gave young members an insight into the challenges faced by people experiencing homelessness and the hard reality for those having to sleep on the streets.

An email from one Guide’s parent summed up the event: “Thank you so much for such a learning opportunity. Polly is buzzing with pride at having managed to sleep out. After being anxious about it she has such a sense of achievement. This really is what Guides is all about, empowering young women to tackle challenging situations and helping others in the process.”

Thanks to Empty Kitchens Full Hearts who provided soup and Scott and Luke who arrived at 6am with the breakfast rolls. Thanks also to Tesco who donated hot chocolate and orange juice.

Hannah Nelson, Bethany’s director of income generation, said: “A housing emergency has recently been declared by the City of Edinburgh Council and Bethany Christian Trust is working together with third sector partners and the local authority to find shared solutions. We are hugely grateful to all the young people, families and volunteers who facilitated this successful event, highlighting one of the social injustices of our time and raising vital funds for Bethany’s work.”

The link to sponsor is still open and every donation will enable the work of Bethany’s innovative services.