Meet the Leeds schoolboy who has spent a year sleeping in a tent for Emmaus homeless charity

Last July, Billy took on a challenge to sleep in a tent in his garden for 100 nights to raise £150 for Emmaus Leeds. The charity supports up to 28 former rough sleepers by providing them with a home, support, training and work experience in a community setting.

Four seasons and five tents later, the 13-year-old has raised more than £1,000 after spending a whole year outdoors. The funds he has raised will be used to support people in the area who have experienced homelessness, poverty and social exclusion.

Speaking to Emmaus, Billy said: “I had a teepee bought for my birthday and my mum complained that I hadn’t used it. When it was good weather, I started to camp out and decided to stay out.

"We then went camping on holiday and it started from there. I’m stubborn and my parents say I’m quite resilient so to be able to combine something that I really enjoy with helping others is a good challenge for me.”

Billy has slept outside in sun, rain and even snow and despite these challenges, he is determined to keep going. He now has his eyes set on beating a record set by Max Woosey who spent three years sleeping in a tent to raise money for North Devon Hospice.

His mum, Sarah, said: “We aren’t surprised that he has stayed out for so long, but that he’s only ever gone out to his tent in his PJs and sliders with a single duvet and sleeping bag is remarkable.

“He insisted on taking his brother’s Duke of Edinburgh Award tent when visiting his grandparents in South Wales, so that he kept up his camping out streak, likewise when going to a friends’ for a sleepover. When he started his adventure, he wasn’t aware of ‘the boy in the tent’ so now he is that’s appealed to his competitive streak.”

The executive lead of Emmaus, Gina Morrison, said: “On behalf of everyone at Emmaus Leeds I would like to thank Billy for his fundraising efforts. It is a pleasure to see a young person taking time out to think about others and putting so much effort into raising money to help a charity. Well done Billy.”