Meet the next fundraising generation: Inspirational children taking on huge challenges to support children living on the edge.

1/7/2021

We are often stunned when we hear about the incredible achievements of some of our youngest supporters. Children who take on epic challenges to support children in challenging situations, so that they can learn, play, grow and be given the same opportunities in life, like access to education, that our young supporters have.

In the past few months, children have cycled, walked and even designed t-shirts to help make a difference. Read on to see how this inspiring group of children are becoming the next fundraising generation and helping bring hope, life, colour and fun to the children we work with.

5-year-old Bess

Bess’s big May challenge
5-year-old Bess loves joining her mum to listen to Facebook Live updates about Children on the Edge. After joining in with one of these sessions, Bess wanted to take on her own challenge for Children on the Edge. She decided that she was going to walk a mile every day in May.

Bess completed her challenge, walking over 38 miles in May, smashing her target and raising over £500!

Bess’s mum Lisa told us how proud she was of Bess, and how her fundraising hasn’t stopped now her challenge is complete.

Since completing her challenge, Bess won best fundraiser for May in the The Body Shop at Home’s Team Beltane Region and received some treats from The Body Shop as a prize. Rather than keeping them, Bess decided to raffle them off to raise even more money for Children on the Edge, and she’s now thinking of ideas for her next challenge!

Mini activist Caitlin designs her very own Tshirt
When The Body Shop at Home Activist Ambassador Lisa Gannon set her region a challenge to design posters highlighting a key Body Shop value, 8-year-old Caitlin knew that she wanted to showcase the Body Shop value that everyone is beautiful.

Caitlin considered all of the different reasons why people might think they’re not beautiful and included them in her design to show that everyone is beautiful. When Sioned Hughes spotted Caitlin’s design on social media, she thought it was so fantastic that she got it printed onto a t-shirt for Cailtin to wear.

This gave Lisa the idea to get some more t-shirts printed with Caitlin’s design on them and use them to help raise money for Children on the Edge. Lisa and Caitlin’s mum Emma are now both proud owners of t-shirts as are many others in The Body Shop at Home’s ‘Region Reign’.

Caitlin with her winning design and t-shirt.

Ruby and Georgia’s ‘Long Walk Home’

When football fans Ruby and Georgia heard about the work of Children on the Edge, they decided to do something themselves to raise money to help other children who face barriers to education.

The two 9 year olds, who are both big Wolves supporters, decided to take the ‘Long Walk Home’, 8.5 miles from the Wolves football stadium - The Molineux, back to Ruby’s House. It took the girls four and a half hours to complete their walk and together they raised an amazing £664.

Ruby’s mum Rebecca said “Ruby and Georgia were very happy that they could help support children the same age as themselves.”

Ruby and Georgia on their 'long walk home'

Charlie’s 10,000 step challenge
5 -year-old Charlie walked to help support Children on the Edge, completing an amazing 10,000 steps in one day and raising an incredible £473!

Charlie’s Mum, Annalise regularly tells him about the work of Children on the Edge and Charlie enjoys watching videos about their work. After The Body Shop at Home conference, Annalise ordered Charlie his own COTE tshirt which he loves to wear to bed.

Charlie says that “Children on the Edge is important as it helps boys and girls on the edge of the world go to school and it’s important to go to school.”

Florrie and Lewis’s 20 mile bike ride

8-year-old Florrie told us that helping children to be safe and access education was her inspiration to take on an epic 20 mile bike ride for Children on the Edge. She said "I want all children to be able to be educated and grow up to do whatever they want, just like I'm able to! All children deserve this and to be kept safe and healthy.

Not only was Florrie inspired to take on a challenge for COTE, after telling her friend Lewis about the challenge and why she was doing it, 11-year-old Lewis decided to join Florrie for her 20 mile cycle.

When the big day came along, the weather had changed, and it was one of the hottest days of the year. Florrie’s mum Emma said “It was blooming hot and at times stupidly hard on the canal path. Both Florrie and Lewis had falls at mile 7 but they didn’t give up! Florrie and Lewis absolutely smashed their ride completing a full 26miles in 24 degree heat.”

Florrie and Lewis have both smashed their fundraising targets for the ride, raising over £2,300 for Children on the Edge.

Florrie and Lewis stopping for a quick snack break during their 20 mile cycle ride.

If you know any budding young fundraisers, we’d love to hear their stories.

Get in touch with our fundraising team and tell us what they are up to.

And if you're looking for a reason to get active this summer, why not join us for our brand new challenge, and walk 100 miles in July for Children on the Edge.