A TEN-year-old boy achieved a remarkable feat on Saturday night – sleeping in a £100 tent in his garden for the 365th consecutive night.
Braden Collins, from Yarrow in the Scottish Borders, has spent a year sleeping under canvas to raise cash for Diabetes UK and his family held a ‘One Year Campaversary’ to celebrate his achievement at the weekend.
Incredible photographs capture Braden’s year-long challenge including nights in freezing conditions surrounded by four inches of snow as well as more summery evenings spent pitched on the decking the garden.
Diabetes UK is a charity close to Braden’s heart as his father, Paul, is diabetic so he decided to trade his comfy, warm bed, for a tent in his back garden.
Braden started camping outside on May 27 last year when his mum, Claire, celebrated her 44th birthday and room inside the house was limited.
After discovering he liked the experience, Braden asked to sleep outside again the next night and now, a year later, has spent every night since under the stars alongside his dog Maisie.
Over £2,700 has been raised for Diabetes UK and peaking to a local paper, his proud mother Claire explained how Braden’s camping started: “We had a quite a full house so Braden and his older brother Eden thought it would be a good idea to pitch up their tent and camp out for the night in the garden.
“Braden slept so well and enjoyed the experience so much, he said he wanted to do it again the next night.
“After a week, he told us he was determined to spend a whole year camping out. He thought that if he could achieve that goal, he could help raise funds for Diabetes UK.
“It’s a cause close to his heart because his dad Paul is diabetic.”
She continued: “Last summer, we visited my family in Cambridge and Paul’s family in Worcester and Braden camped out in their gardens.
“It was the same story at the new year when we spent a week visiting relatives on the south coast.”
The family celebrated Braden’s achievement and Claire’s birthday, the family celebrated by holding a hog roast party on Saturday night.
Claire explained how Braden has developed his own bedtime routine before going out to the garden.
“Every bedtime, he goes out to his tent with his headtorch, his hot-water bottle, his toy dog Alan and his real pet, our young Border Terrier Maisie, who sleeps out with him.
“In the morning, he comes in for his breakfast and gets ready for school. He takes it all in his stride and has never once said he didn’t want to camp out, even during the cold night of winter.
“Paul and I are so proud of Braden. It shows great strength of character to endure something like this for so long without any complaints.
“In our eyes, he’s a little superstar.”
Braden himself added: “I really like camping and would like to raise money for Diabetes UK because my dad had diabetes and I wish he didn’t.”
The family put out a donation bucket at the celebratory party on Saturday and anyone wishing to donate to Braden’s cause can go to: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Claire-Collins15
