A hardy group of Glasgow retailers have joined forces with JTI and wholesaler JW Filshill to raise money for homeless charities Shelter Scotland and Simon on the Streets.

The group of 50 volunteers will sleep rough in the car park of Filshill’s Glasgow depot as part of The Big Sleep Out on Friday 16 May.

Simon Hannah, managing director at JW Filshill, said: “Sleeping rough is something most of us have no experience of and would never want to experience. I know that The Big Sleep Out will be a challenge but I feel extremely lucky that I will be sleeping out by choice – for some there is no choice. I hope that by our combined efforts we can make a difference to enable both charities to continue their great work.”

Simon on the Streets general manager Helen Beachell said the charity was “overwhelmed by the support of local retailers, JTI and JW Filshill. 

“Without this kind of commitment we couldn’t continue our work supporting some very vulnerable people,” she said.

JW Filshill and JTI have also made a commitment to match all fundraising from the event.

Donations can be made on the Justgiving page http://www.justgiving.com/Filshill