Hockey star gives boys shock donation boost
An Olympic hockey player was so moved by a group of Maidstone schoolboys raising money for Ukraine that he donated £1,000 after auctioning off some of his belongings.
The group of five boys - who go to Allington Primary School and Brookfield Infants, Aylesford - took on the challenge of running a mile a day for 30 days in aid of refugees.
Pip Hamilton-Barnes, seven, and Jude March, Harry Wheeler, Humphrey Hamilton-Barnes and Fletcher Davis, all 11, were motivatd by images they saw of children living in the war-zone.
They completed the challenge on April 2 and raised £3,684 for Unicef. That was down in part to England field hockey player, Sam Ward, who donated £1,000.
It came after Humphrey and Pip’s mum Emma Hamilton-Barnes reached out to the 31-year-old athlete - her son’s sporting hero, who competed for Great Britain at the 2016 Olympic - on Twitter.
He replied, saying: “From one inspirational athlete to another, keep up the good work.”
Emma said: “I was in total shock when I received the email for his donation - I thought someone had accidentally put one too many zeros!
“The boys were over the moon. I’m so proud and glad Humphrey calls him his hero, because he truly is.”
Emma explained that the challenge of running every day wasn’t easy - the boys have overcome sickness, broken bones and pulled muscles.
It is not the first time Humphrey has helped Unicef. In 2019, a fire tore through his family’s home in Allington, which forced them to live out of a suitcase for months. The situation inspired him to help children even less fortunate, and he raised £500 with a charity football match.
Humphrey said of the situation in Ukraine: “I cannot imagine what it must be to live where they are right now. They are living a nightmare.”
Donate at www.tinyurl.com/ KMunicef