11-year-old Charlie cycles to Scotland for charity (From The Argus)

Charlie Doherty cycles to Scotland for Mary's Meals

9:50am Tuesday 26th July 2011 in News By Emily Friend

Schools broke up on Friday and most children are now enjoying their holidays, but an 11-year-old boy from Crawley is cycling to Scotland for charity.

Charlie Doherty set off from Brighton with his mother Julie on Sunday and hopes to arrive in Scotland by Saturday August 13.

They are raising money for Mary’s Meals, a charity which provides daily meals in school for over 500,000 children in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe.

Charlie said: “There has been lots of uphill so far, but I like to remember that there is always a downhill too.

“I am very proud of my mum. The only thing is that I have to stay behind her and I keep falling off when she is going too slowly!”

Charlie has raised over £15,000 for charity since he was four, contributing birthday and Christmas money as well as organising events.

“I was on TV on Friday and later on that evening my phone was buzzing with email alerts from my JustGiving page. It’s nice to know everyone is supporting me,” he said.

“We’ve just been talking to a lady who gave us ten pounds.”

Charlie and his mother Julie have trained by cycling from Brighton to Crawley but said they are finding the five to six hour days a little more challenging.

Julie Doherty said: “We’re just on the Thames approaching Kingston Bridge. I can’t believe we’re in such a beautiful spot. We’re hoping to get to Heathrow Airport by this evening.

“Charlie is definitely my instructor. He’s already made me stretch this morning!

“I’m with him because he would try to go on his own if I didn’t.”

Charlie said that he was looking forward to eating some haggis when he arrived in Scotland.

A spokesperson from Mary’s Meals said: “We think Charlie is amazing. He has been supporting in many different ways for years now, from donating his Christmas and birthday money as a child and building up to the things he’s doing now.

“All the planning and motivation for this trip comes from him.

“The number of children that he’s been able to feed is unbelievable, especially for a child of his age. We are very glad that he is involved with Mary’s Meals and we think he is an incredible boy.”