March Fundraising Highlights from Children on the Edge

Spring is here, the days are getting longer and the sun has finally made an appearance. We have loved seeing all of the amazing ways our supporters have chosen to fundraise for us, from cycle rides to yoga classes, and there were even pets who got involved too.
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Take a look to see all of the fantastic fundraising that took place in March … 

Eight year old Riley taking part in his challenge

Riley rides to success
On Sunday 20th March, eight year old Riley Clarke cycled a ten mile course around Brereton Heath Nature Reserve to support Children on the Edge. 
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His Mum Kelly said, “Myself and my husband Dave are incredibly proud of Riley doing this ride for charity. Seeing the way he has reacted to children less fortunate than he is and wanting to help make a difference at just eight years old is so inspiring to us.”

​Riley completed his ride and smashed his original fundraising target of £200, raising over £660. He said that he especially enjoyed the parts where he cycled very fast down hill! ​

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Online Pet Show raises over £600
​Maria Clark has been running online pet shows for seven years, after setting up a Facebook group when she was at university. 26-year-old Maria said, “I am quite a nosy person, and just love seeing photos of peoples pets.” 

Maria Clark at Crufts with her dog

After attending and competing in many pet shows herself (she’s been to Crufts 21 times!), Maria wanted to create an inclusive pet show that everyone could take part in, regardless of where they live, pet pedigree or even the type of pet they own. Although cats and dogs are generally entered, Maria has previously had entries from chickens, sheep, horses and even the occasional turtle!
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Maria held her online pet show for Children on the Edge over the course of two months, there were over 1,670 entries and the show raised an amazing £600. Maria is now taking part in our Walk 100 miles in April challenge and will be encouraging her pet show participants to get their furry friends involved and join the challenge too!

Some of the entries into Maria's online pet show for Children on the Edge

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Southbourne Beach Yoga supports our Ukrainian Appeal 
Alex and Hayley run Southbourne Beach Yoga in Dorset. They heard about Children on the Edge when they saw a Facebook post about our Ukraine Appeal from Heida who attends their classes.

Alex and Hayley wanted to help, so decided that their first beach yoga session of the year would be in support of Children on the Edge. On a sunny but windy morning, 20 participants took part in a session on Southbourne Beach, raising over £100.

They said “We really want to focus more of our time on supporting charities, it feels so good to give something back.” Watch this space because they are planning more Beach Yoga fundraisers soon. 

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Sunflowers by Westbourne House students
Pupils from Westbourne House School in Chichester have been supporting our Ukraine appeal, holding special choir performance at Boxgrove Priory in March which raised over £7,000 on JustGiving.

​In class, students have also been busy creating these fantastic sunflower artworks in solidarity with the people of Ukraine. 

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Supporting our Ukrainian Appeal
It has been incredible to see the outpouring of support since we launched our Ukraine Appeal. We’ve had support from individuals, groups, small businesses and schools as well as local and international organisations. Here are just a few of the brilliant fundraisers supporting our response in Moldova and Romania.

81-year old Major Mick who is rowing around the South East in his homemade boat the Tintanic. 

Small businesses Scarlett Jewellery who are donating 10% from sales of their beautiful sunflower range and The Little Botanical who donated £2 from every order in March. 

Our friends at Montezuma’s have been fundraising in their office and factory as well as collecting and matching micro donations from customers at their checkouts.  
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Staff at Sussex based accountancy firm Carpenter Box raised over £1,220 to support our appeal. ​

Staff at Montezuma's taking part in a fundraising day at their office and factory.

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Whether you want to take on a challenge, your school is looking to fundraise, or your company wants to get involved, your fundraising will be helping to create safe spaces for refugees in Lebanon, Bangladesh, Uganda and now for Ukrainian refugees arriving into Moldova and Romania.