An eight-year-old from Suffolk is planning to spend 100 nights sleeping in his back garden – all to raise money for the Captain Tom Foundation.

Archie Tunstill, who lives near Newmarket, says he was inspired by 11-year-old Max Woosey, who raised more than £500,000 for charity by sleeping in a tent in his garden in Devon for a year.

Max lost a family friend to cancer and before he passed away, that friend gave him a tent and told him to have an adventure.

%image(15133166, type="article-full", alt="Archie Tunstill, eight, with his father Mark Tunstill. Archie plans to spend 100 nights sleeping in a bivvy bag in his back garden to raise funds for the Captain Tom Foundation")

On March 27, the final night of Max’s challenge, children around the UK were encouraged to sleep in a tent in their gardens to raise cash for charity as part of a Big Camp Out.

This was something Archie joined in with, and he has been sleeping in a bivvy bag in his garden every night since.

His mother, 39-year-old Poppy Tunstill, says Archie has always enjoyed the outdoors and camping.

She added: "He started that night and carried on just for fun, then a week into the sleep-out he was thinking, 'maybe I could make it into an adventure or a challenge' then we heard about the Captain Tom 100.

"He decided to turn a few nights into 100 nights."

%image(15133167, type="article-full", alt="Archie Tunstill, eight, who plans to spend 100 nights sleeping in a bivvy bag in his back garden to raise funds for the Captain Tom Foundation")

Archie has already braved some bitter nights – with rain, snow and temperatures plunging below –4C, but he is determined to finish his challenge.

He is taking it on in honour of Captain Tom, the Second World War veteran who raised more than £32million for the NHS by walking 100 laps of his garden before his 100th birthday.

People around the country are being encouraged to take on a charity challenge themed around the number 100 for the Captain Tom 100.

%image(15133168, type="article-full", alt="War veteran Captain Tom Moore, at his home in Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire, after he achieved his goal of 100 laps of his garden. The family of Captain Sir Tom Moore are encouraging people to celebrate his spirit of generosity by taking on their own "Captain Tom 100" charity challenge on what would have been the weekend of his 101st birthday")

Mrs Tunstill, who works as a vet, said Archie has been sleeping in an old Army-issue bivvy bag with a waterproof outer lining, and he has his sleeping bag within the bivvy bag.

He is afforded some shelter by a basha - like a tarpaulin - which they have attached to a tree.

"We've been saying 'you don't have to carry on if you don't want to' but he's started so he'll finish," said Mrs Tunstill.

"He came in one morning with ice on his hat, snow on his hat."

But Archie said his "worst nights have been the warmer nights", adding: "I got too hot and had to go inside and take layers off."

%image(15133169, type="article-full", alt="Undated family handout photo of Archie Tunstill, eight, who plans to spend 100 nights sleeping in a bivvy bag in his back garden to raise funds for the Captain Tom Foundation. Issue date: Friday April 30, 2021.")

Mrs Tunstill said husband Mark, 41, who is also a vet, and Archie's brother Ollie, six, have kept him company on some of the nights.

"We're just so proud of how resilient he is and how tough he's being about it and I think it will definitely make him a stronger character," she added.

Archie said that he is spurred on by his fundraising and the thought of inspiring others.

"It's really fun because there's no one to wake me up," he said.

His 100th night sleeping in his bivvy bag will be on July 4.

To sponsor Archie, visit his Virgin Money Giving page.