Thousands for charity raised thanks to Zac
One hundred miles covered in 50 days
Well-earned
EMYLIE HOWIE
A kind-hearted primary pupil has run the soles off his trainers raising over £1800 for charity.
Zac Wright set himself a challenge to run 100 miles in 50 days to raise £238.50 – the equivalent Mary’s Meals needs to feed 15 children every day for a year.
The Clarkston youngster finished his challenge on Sunday, July 12 by running seven miles from his home to his Granny Mo and Papa’s house in St Leonard’s.
And enjoyed an ice cold can of fizzy juice in the sunshine with his grandparents now that lockdown restrictions have eased.
Zac and proud mum Mo, have been overwhelmed by the support and generosity by the local community who have donated to his fundraising.
Zac told the News: ‘I’m so grateful for the immense support I’ve had for this challenge.
“One of my knees got sore during the final run – it seemed to be all uphill – but everyone cheering me on, and the thought of everyone who had donated kept me motivated.
“Thank you very much to everyone who donated.”
Mary’s Meals provides chronically hungry children with one meal every school day, encouraging education that can lift them out of poverty in later life.
The charity was founded in 2002 and has grown from its first feeding operation of 200 children in Malawi, to a worldwide campaign, providing free school meals in hundreds of schools and feeding more than one million children daily.
Ten-year-old Zac chose the charity as the benefactors of his efforts, fearing it had been forgotten about during the coronavirus pandemic.
On his fundraising page, Zac said: “Most people have heard of Mary’s Meals, but I have noticed lots of international charities seem to have been forgotten about because of all this confusion with COVID-19.
“For the whole of my life, I have taken so many things for granted – education, food, water, and all a child’s daily needs.
“A visitor from Mary’s Meals came to my school one day and told everyone all about the people living in poverty and distress all around the world.
“I wanted to host a fundraiser for months, but I never got round to doing so. Then I realised, ‘what better time was there to do a fundraiser for a charity, than in its most desperate time of need?’”