- Grim’ weather fails to deter her
- ‘If she sees a need, she’s there’, comments her mum
6-year old Amelie Whittaker from Barnoldswick has shown her compassionate heart by organising a sale of cakes along with her unwanted toys and books. The Year 2 pupil raised almost £400 for Christian international development charity Tearfund, despite the weather being against her.
Mum Anna said: ‘The weather on the day of the sale was grim, but despite the wind and rain blowing sideways into her gazebo, Amelie persevered and raised an amazing £370.'
Amelie had sorted through her toy collection, and harnessed the support of her family to get the sale up and running. She designed an advertising poster which Anna posted on social media, and started baking and decorating her favourite cakes - including Victoria sponge and muffins - with her mum’s help.
Her dad Mark contributed his signature bake - Biscoff rocky road - and put up the gazebo for the sale; her grandmother baked chocolate muffins and scones; and her older brother Jack helped man the stall.
Amelie told her mum the fundraising sale was ‘the right thing to do’ after a chat on a family dog walk about Christmas presents. This led to a discussion about the needs of children in countries where drought is causing famine. Amelie learnt that many children around the world lack essentials such as food and water, so she suggested selling some of her toys and making cakes to fundraise. As the family were already Tearfund supporters, they wanted sale proceeds to support the work of the Christian charity in combating poverty around the world.
Anna is not surprised at Amelie’s compassion. ‘If Amelie sees a need, she's there,’ she commented, and knows her daughter has the determination to make things happen: ‘Once she’d got the idea, she kept talking about it day after day. When she’s got something in her head, she wants to make it happen.’
Tearfund’s Global Fundraising Director, Jane Pleace, was delighted when she heard about the success of the sale: ‘We were so chuffed to hear Amelie’s heartwarming story, and impressed she showed such initiative and generosity at such a young age. I hope Amelie feels really proud that her fundraising will help children and their families in some of the world’s poorest countries, where Tearfund is working to bring an end to poverty.’
To find out more about Tearfund’s work, please visit www.tearfund.org
ENDS
For further information call Louise Thomas on 07590 775847, or for out of hours media enquiries please call 07929 339813.
Photo shows Amelie Whittaker with her splendid array of goods for sale to benefit international development charity Tearfund.
Notes to Editors: Tearfund is a Christian charity which partners with churches in more than 50 of the world’s poorest countries. We tackle poverty through sustainable development, responding to disasters and challenging injustice. We believe an end to extreme poverty is possible. Tearfund is also a member of the Disasters Emergency Committee. For more information about the work of Tearfund, please visit www.tearfund.org.
