A GROUP of Army Cadets from the Doniford Platoon will be giving up their beds for a night next Friday (March 27) to help raise money and awareness for homeless military veterans.

They will be taking part in the Great Tommy Sleep Out, a national campaign organised by the Royal British Veterans Enterprise (RBVE).

Participants give up one night, or more, of comfort and warmth to experience a night outdoors, raising money for veterans facing homelessness, mental health challenges, and social isolation.

The term ‘Tommy’ is derived from ‘Tommy Atkins’, a generic name for a British soldier as early as 1743 and commonly used by the War Office in 1815.

This will be the fourth year running the Doniford cadets, aged between 12 and 17 years, will sleep out in March under ‘bashas’, a Malayan term for lightweight tarpaulin shelters widely used by the Army on active service to provide basic protection in bad weather.

So far, the cadets have raised more than £300 for their sleep out and organisers say the event also offers an opportunity for the cadets ‘to develop resilience and empathy’.

Doniford Platoon commander Staff Sgt Kerri Debens said: “The Doniford Platoon are well known for helping with community events.

“However, this event sees us working as part of the wider Armed Forces community and helps our young people foster a deeper understanding of the hardships faced by our homeless veterans.”

Urging people to support the sleeping-out, SAS veteran Billy Billingham said the challenge was ‘a nationwide mission to support those who once supported us’.

He said: “It is not about replicating rough sleeping, but it gives those taking part a glimpse, just a glimpse, of what it might feel like not have a warm bed to return to.”