TEN-year-old Archie Hickey, who ran 300 times up and down his garden for charity, has smashed his original target and raised more than £1,000.

The All Cannings Primary School pupil had hoped to raise £300 with Saturday’s run. But after the story appeared in last week’s Gazette & Herald, sponsorship flooded in and now the total stands at £1,104 once Gift Aid is added.

He wanted to help Wiltshire Community Foundation’s Surviving Winter appeal after hearing about it from his mum Vicky, who is the charity’s joint chief executive. The annual campaign works with Age UK, Warm and Safe Wiltshire and both Swindon and Wiltshire Citizens Advice, to distribute grants of up to £200 towards heating bills as well as provide energy-saving or benefits advice to people in fuel poverty.

Last year it raised £142,000 and helped more than 1,200 people pay fuel bills and save energy, as well as apply for other benefits.

Archie said: “I was so surprised with reaching my first goal of £300, and then as it kept going up I felt so amazed and proud. I increased my target to £750 and I really couldn’t believe it when it went over £900.”

The youngster, who admits he isn’t usually keen on running, said it had been enjoyable but exhausting. “It was tough and it was difficult to keep going.”

“The 200th length was really hard because I knew I still had 100 to go and I was already really tired, but I knew I was doing it for a good cause. When I got to 290 I knew I was close to the finish so speeded up which made me more tired. It felt great when I’d finished, I ran to our garden bench and just collapsed there.”

His mum and dad Glen were cheering him on and counting the laps, and there was some extra support from friends who watched him on FaceTime.

He said: “My quads really hurt from about halfway through till the end, I felt really sore about an hour after I finished,” he said. “I had to play football on Sunday morning which I was worried about but it was okay.

”I’m so grateful to everyone who has gone onto my page on Local Giving to support me, I’d like to say thank you very, very much.”

His mum said: “We are so proud of Archie. We were just talking at home one evening about the Surviving Winter campaign and he said ‘I’ve got to do something, can I start fundraising?’.

“He was so shocked that every year 300 older people in Wiltshire are dying due to having cold homes. We’ve been so amazed by the response and so grateful to everyone who has donated to his Local Giving page and everyone who has shared his fundraising story on social media.”

The community foundation is asking anyone who receives a government Winter Fuel Payment and feels they don’t need all or some of it to donate it to the appeal.

To donate to the appeal go to wiltshirecf.org.uk or call Wiltshire Community Foundation on 01380 729284. Or send a cheque, made payable to Wiltshire Community Foundation, to the address on the website.