Toddler raises £30k for the NHS – by collecting pebbles during walks
A toddler has raised nearly £30,000 for the NHS by collecting pebbles as she learnt to walk.
Beatrice George, aged one, has only just learnt to walk and has been obsessed with pebbles she collects from a beach near her family’s home.
The infant started walking in February and has collected close to 160 pebbles since lockdown began on 23 March, with her parents saying her confidence had soared in the past five months.
Parents Matthew, 43, and wife Lucy, a teacher, have been thrilled watching Beatrice toddling along the seafront and harbour near their home in Kingholm Quay in Dumfries and Galloway.
And what began as a hobby for the toddler has turned into a major fundraiser for the NHS after the toddler’s parents set up a Justgiving page online.
Her father said: “My daughter’s been looking at pebbles ever since she started walking.
“Once a day we go out for a walk.
“There’s lots of pebbles around and she picks one each day and puts it in a basket.
“Beatrice was standing on her own since November or December, but towards the end of February she took off.
“There’s so much space for her to roam around.
“Going round picking up the pebbles has given her more of an incentive. We’ve seen her develop so much over the last four or five months.
“Usually she would be with a childminder.
“It’s been a blessing in disguise I suppose, and a lot of fun.”
They were inspired to set up the fundraiser by 100-year-old Captain Tom Moore, who has helped raise more than £32 million for NHS Charities Together by walking 100 lengths of his garden.
The fundraiser at first received donations from family and friends, but interest surged after comedian Miranda Hart shared a video on social media praising the fundraiser.
It has also attracted attention from several other famous faces, including actor Stephen Fry, actress Judi Dench and even former prime minister Gordon Brown.
So far £29,537 has been raised and the appeal received donations from 125 people, with one generous person donating £10,000.
Beatrice’s father, an IT worker, said: “We’ve raised a hell of a lot of money.
“After seeing Captain Tom walking his garden a hundred times we thought if we could even raise £50 for a good cause then great.
“It’s gone completely off the scale.
“I couldn’t have imagined reaching that much money.”