Kentish Express Ashford & District
Nine-year-old Ella asks all the right questions
A nine-year-old who organised her own quiz night has helped raise funds for a new stillborn bereavement unit at Ashford’s hospital.
Willesborough Junior School pupil Ella Roper held the charity evening at her karate school in Wotton Road, South Ashford.
It was attended by 80 people and has raised around £750 for the Twinkling Stars Project, a charity close to Ella’s heart as her cousin was stillborn.
Mum Sara Roper said: “It went really well, despite a last-minute venue change.
“Ella did brilliantly. She was so confident and delivered the quiz to 80 people.
“If she was nervous she didn’t show it.”
Ella held the fundraiser as part of her workbook for her 2nd Dan black belt in karate, a martial art she has been doing since she was four-years-old. As well as organ- ising a raffle she came up with all the questions herself for the night. They included: Who is the voice of Buzz Lightyear? and Where are grasshoppers ears located?
All funds raised will go to The Twinkling Stars Project, an Ashford charity which aims to open a new stillbirth bereavement unit at the William Harvey Hospital for grieving parents.
It was set up by three Ashford sisters, Charlotte Bassett, Georgina Varnals and Leigh Knight, following the death of Charlotte and her partner Glenn’s baby, Blake, who was stillborn at 25 weeks last September.
They accepted the money from Ella on Tuesday night. Mrs Knight said: “We are totally overwhelmed by Ella’s efforts in raising money for the project in memory of her cousin Jack.
“She set a target and not only achieved it, she smashed it!
“It was a fantastic evening and everybody thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Ella is a very special little lady and we can’t thank her enough.”