A SIX-year-old boy has taken on a challenge to run every single day to raise money for a children’s hospice.
Benji Higgins, from Worthing, told his parents he “wants to help children who are really poorly” and decided he wanted to run a mile every day during January to raise money for Chestnut Tree House.
Benji, a student at Bramber Primary School in Worthing, has almost finished the challenge which he started at the beginning of the month.
Benji’s initial target was £200, but he has already raised more than four times that figure - receiving more than £900 in donations.
His parents, Mel and Andy Higgins say he came up with the idea himself as they visit the hospice each year to hand out Christmas presents.
Mel said: “The dedication Benji is showing to support Chestnut Tree House is an inspiration for us all. He’s really set himself a mission to succeed and raise money with the support of the community behind him.
“We’ve got a chart at home to map his runs and we also track them on Strava to update members on our community Facebook page. So far, the support Benji’s received from his school friends, family and neighbours has been fantastic.
“The idea to support Chestnut Tree House is something Benji has been committed to do for a long time. As a family we take Christmas presents to children at the hospice each year which has inspired Benji over the years to want to make a real difference himself.”
Returning to school in January for the start of the new term, Benji has already inspired his peers to join in on the action. Headteacher, Tracy Scott, at Bramber Primary School is organising a fundraising day for pupils to run a mile in their PE kits and each donate £1 to support Chestnut Tree House.
Chestnut Tree House is a children’s charity providing hospice care and community support for children and young people with life-shortening conditions.
For more information on Benji’s run, visit the JustGiving page his mum set up.
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