The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Elliot displays star quality with cash raised for Ukraine
Hearing about the Ukraine war and how children like him have had to flee their homes makes Elliot Hill, 8, feel upset.
So he decided to do something to help.
And when we heard about how he raised hundreds of pounds for those affected by the invasion we knew he had earned one of our Gold Stars.
Elliot, from Dundee, has raised more than £800 for Unicef ’s Ukraine appeal by holding a garage sale at his home and collecting donations from friends and family.
Dad Grant Hill said Elliot’s event became like his own little Live Aid, and he spent weeks and weeks meticulously planning.
The Courier awards Gold Star badges and certificates to children and young people who have gone above and beyond, for example helping others or a special achievement.
We thought Elliot, in P4 at Blackness Primary School, fitted the bill and visited his family to give him his award.
He told us how his fundraiser was a long time in the planning and he felt “brilliant” at how successful it was.
He said: “About a year ago I was going to do just a baking sale, but when the war started I thought I would do a fundraiser for Ukraine.
“We started by making friendship bracelets and bookmarks and finding old stuff I wanted to sell.
“Then a few days before we did the baking.
“At about 8am (on the day) we started putting balloons outside and we got all set up, we had the table outside.
“About five minutes before it started the first person came.”
And despite heavy rain that day, the customers kept coming and coming and coming.
Elliot said he felt “really happy” to be recognised with a Gold Star.
Proud Grant said: “He really put a lot into this, he deserves praise for it.
“It was like his Live Aid. He got this idea and it took on its own momentum.
“He was always making lists and doing something.
“He really committed and spent weeks working on it.”
As well as his old toys, games, baking and crafts, Elliot sold some of mum Vicki Birmingham’s old Beanos and Oor Wullie and Dennis the Menace annuals and items friends and family had donated.
Grant added: “Loads of people turned up so we’d really like to thank them too for supporting him and donating.”