King of the hill!
Teen’s 100-mile ‘uphill struggle’ to aid food parcels group
DETERMINED Harrison Lovatt has taken on a 100-mile ‘uphill struggle’ – to raise hundreds of pounds for a group supporting needy families during the coronavirus crisis.
The 14-year-old is being sponsored to run six laps a day from the front door of his home in Stone.
He is donating the proceeds to the town’s community hub, which has seen a 10-fold spike in demand for its services since the pandemic began.
Harrison has already more than doubled his initial £200 target, and is hoping to break £500 by the time he reaches 100 miles next month.
The 14-year-old said: “I thought perhaps I could raise enough money to feed a family for a week. We live on a steep and winding road and the idea of an ‘uphill struggle’ came to me when I was chatting with mum.
“Mum helped me set up the Goldengiving page and on my first run a passer-by saw me and asked how to sponsor me.
“Friends and neighbours have been brilliant in supporting me too.”
Alleyne’s Academy pupil Harrison, who lives with mum Tracy, dad Chris, sister Jasmine and their two chihuahuas, started the challenge on May 3. Each set of six laps measures two miles and Harrison intends to finish on June 22.
As of today, he is just over half the way to 100 miles.
He added: “I’ve done quite a bit of running before this, cross country and athletics and am also a keen cricketer but the first few days and the hottest days of this challenge have been the hardest.”
Mum Tracy added: “I’m really proud of Harrison’s attitude and commitment. It was his idea and he’s never failed to motivate himself out of the door.
“It’s a tough challenge but he’s determined and I know he’ll do it. It will be a great achievement and he will have helped lots of people.”
Harrison’s fundraising total stands at more than £470. He said: “I was worried about asking for money and so decided to cap donations at £5 and hope to reach as many people as possible.
“I feel happy to have helped and it’s improved my fitness too. It would be lovely to reach £500 but I’ll be pleased with any amount.”
Emma Walton, manager at Stone Community Hub, said: “We are totally overwhelmed by the support and generosity of Harrison for undertaking such a ‘marathon’ event on our behalf.
“It’s an absolutely amazing and thoughtful achievement.”
Emma said the group had been forced to suspend fundraising activities to concentrate on providing emergency food parcels through its food bank to people in Stone and surrounding villages.
“We are financially reliant on the generosity of local people, businesses and other organisations right now as well as applications for grants.”
Emma said ‘unprecedented’ numbers of people were relying on the hub’s food parcels, with collections and deliveries increasing weekly.
“The number of parcels provided by us purely in April this year almost reached the number we provided in the whole of 2019,” she said.
“It is with great thanks to Harrison for his brilliant fundraising effort that we will be able to keep stock levels maintained in the food bank over the coming weeks at no financial cost to ourselves.”
She said the group was appealing for financial donations as well as fresh food, dairy, tinned and packet goods, toiletries and paper goods.
■ Anyone who wants to help can drop in any weekday (except Thursdays) between 10am and noon at the Frank Jordan Centre in Lichfield Street. Alternatively call 01785 812417, text 07395 668115, email manager@ stonecommunityhub.org or visit its website or social media pages.
■ To donate to Harrison’s challenge visit goldengiving. com/ fundraising/ uphillstruggle.