ESTATE agents from Great Dunmow have witnessed first hand what life is like on the streets, by taking part in a 24-hour project to help raise money for charity.

Members of the Intercounty team may be smiling here, but that is from relief, after the ordeal of sleeping rough outside their own High Street office to raise cash for Shelter – a charity that directly helps the homeless.

One of the team, Katie Savill, told the Broadcast: “Spending just 24 hours on the streets really helped to open my eyes to just how scary it must. There were three of us, and we could keep each other’s spirits up, but the thought of being on your own, the time would drag even more than it did.

“I was humbled by people’s generosity, and how many people commented that this was such a good cause to try and raise awareness for.

“I know though, that had we actually been homeless, we wouldn’t have had any near as many coins in our pots in 24 hours, or even after a week.

“I used to be very wary of seeing a homeless person, the unknown I think is always fearful – but now, having been scared myself when the night really set in and I was afraid to close my eyes, I will make an effort to help the homeless people I encounter.”

Across the Intercounty offices in the region, the company managed to raise well over �4,000 – for more on this story see page two in our bumper property pull out in the centre of this paper.