Three big-hearted Northumberland sisters have set themselves challenges to raise money for asylum seekers and refugees.
Betsy, Daisy and Tilly Lognonné from Prudhoe were so moved by watching the scenes from Afghanistan on TV that they decided to set themselves a series of challenges to raise funds for Tyne and Wear charity Action Foundation.
So far, they have blitzed their original target of £100 and have raised around £600 - with the hopes of making it to £1,000.
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Eight year old Daisy was the first to complete her challenge, a kitchen danceathon which saw her bopping non-stop for two hours in her favourite party gear at home in Prudhoe. Daisy said her aim was ‘to raise money for people who are not safe in their country and to make them feel so welcome in their new home when they get here.’
Next was five year old Tilly, who took on a golf challenge with dad Richard at Matfen Hall’s Golf Academy.
Mum Sam said: “They went and played a Par 3 course. Tilly had never played golf before and always wanted to go with her dad. She was fab and loved it! She now has her own set of little clubs and practises at home.”
Last was ten year old Betsy, who walked to the top of 405-metre Helm Crag, near Grasmere in the Lake District.
Betsy said: “I hope we can raise lots of money to help refugee children and grown-ups. People can’t help where they are born and this could have been you or me. I have always wanted to climb a mountain and it’s even better now that I’m doing it for such a good reason.”
Richard and Sam are extremely proud of their daughters, with Sam saying: “We are both so enormously proud of the girls’ empathy and determination to complete their challenges.
“I like them to be aware of what’s going on in the world, in an age-appropriate way. So we often sit down together to watch CBBC Newsround and when they saw the scenes from Afghanistan they immediately wanted to try and help.”
In recent months, the world has watched in horror as the Taliban reclaimed near-total control of Afghanistan, with the militia’s campaign of violence displacing a huge number of families from their homes in the conflict - some of whom have been relocated to the UK.
The North East's local authorities have pledged to provide a 'safer future' for those fleeing the Taliban, with Northumberland declaring itself 'open' to Afghan refugees and preparing to welcome six families back in September.
Action Foundation is one of the North East charities supporting migrants from Afghanistan and elsewhere through its free English language school, housing projects, a digital inclusion project and twice weekly drop-ins.
Abi Walker, Fundraising and Grants Officer for Action Foundation said that the Lognonné sisters were the charity’s youngest fundraisers.
She said: “Everyone at Action Foundation is just so touched by the girls’ generosity of spirit. People have been so moved by what’s happened in Afghanistan and these girls are a shining example of how, no matter how old we are, we can all help make a difference to the lives of those fleeing persecution.”
If you’d like to donate to the Lognonné sisters fundraising effort, click this link .
