Seven-year-old's charity ride raises over £50,000 for Haiti victims

A seven-year-old boy from London who set himself the target of raising £500 to help earthquake victims in Haiti by cycling around his local park has raised more than 100 times that amount, and donations are continuing to flood in.

According to his page on the charity donation site Just Giving, Charlie Simpson aimed to complete at least seven laps – equivalent to five miles – of South Park, near his home in Fulham this weekend to raise money for Unicef, and managed to fulfil that goal yesterday.

The youngster said on his page: “My name is Charlie Simpson, I want to do a Sponsored Bike Ride for Haiti because there was a big earthquake and loads of people have lost their lives. I want to make some money to buy food, water and tents for everyone in Haiti.”

Unicef’s Executive Director in the UK, David Bull, told BBC News: “This is a very bold and innovative gesture by Charlie that shows he connects with and not only understands what children his own age must be going through in Haiti, but is also wise enough to know that he can help them.

"The little seed - his idea - that he has planted has grown rapidly and his is a place well-deserved in the humanitarian world.

"On behalf on the many children in Haiti, I thank Charlie for his effort."

You can donate to Charlie’s appeal by visiting his Just Giving page here.