11-year-old fundraising fanatic sleeps 100 nights running in tent for charity

A BOY who camped in a tent in his back garden for 100 nights in a row raised more than £1,100 for charity.

Dexter Rosier, 11, started the challenge on his birthday, June 30, when he camped in his garden with two friends. He then spent every night in the tent, even taking it on holiday with him over the summer, before finishing on October 8.

His mother, Samantha Rosier, who is a fundraiser for Camp Mohawk in Wargrave, said: “He loved it.

“There were challenges — over the summer there was some bad weather and he woke up in a puddle, bless him.

“The tent just about survived but it has got a few holes in it. He must have been through about three or four sleeping bags where they just got too damp. There were a couple of nights with thunder and lightning and he slept through some of it but then it would wake him up.

“Our bedroom backs on to the garden and we’d always leave the window open and sometimes we’d hear him calling us because he’d heard a noise but we would reassure him and he’d go back to sleep.”

Mrs Rosier, 38, from Woodley, said the family decorated the tent and made it a cosy place for Dexter to spend time in.

“We made it homely. He had a snack corner and a headtorch so he could sit in bed and read books and he had some family pictures and an air mattress. He’d be inside to do his homework, then have a shower and put his pjs on and go out and chill.”

Dexter decided to take on the challenge to raise money for First Days children’s charity, which supports families experiencing financial hardship.

Last year, he raised £3,700 for the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading by running a mile every day.

Mrs Rosier said: “He’s always plotting something — it’s just his personality. It’s not something he gets from us. He’s really emotionally intelligent and one of those people who sees things in the world and wants to make it better.

“He’s so kind and sweet. He has just started secondary school and when he sees kids sitting by themselves at lunchtime he goes and sits with them. It’s his way and it’s a beautiful thing.”

To make a donation, visit www.justgiving.com/page/dexter-rosier-1688540623008