Bradford & District | Archive | 2007 | January | 4

Children do their bit for charities

From the archive, first published Thursday 4th Jan 2007.

EIGHT Bradley youngsters have raised more than £1,000 for local charities over the past two-and-a-half years.

Their fundraising exploits began when sisters Maria and Emily Stirk and neighbour Amy Counter raised £22 for Children in Need at Bradley Fun Day.

Not content with that, the trio roped in friends Danielle Mills, Julia Bell, Holly Minnikin, Jessica Bell and Sarah Isherwood to go carol singing around the village three months later.

On that occasion they raised £64 for the Coeliac Society, which helps people with gluten intolerance.

Further fundraisers were organised in 2004 and that Christmas the girls decided to concentrate their efforts on Cancer Research because Frank Isherwood - Sarah's dad and Maria and Emily's uncle - was battling with the disease.

Sadly he lost his fight for life in October. The girls, whose ages range from seven to 14, broke the £1,000-mark with this year's carol singing event. The group - joined by eight-year-old Sarah Watson - sang on a record four nights, ending with a full 10-minute recital in the Slaters Arms.

They raised £416, which they have decided to split between Cancer Research and Ward 15 - which cares for cancer patients - at Bradford Royal Infirmary.

Proud mum Karen Stirk said: "Their fundraising total now stands at £1,266, which they are very proud of, and it has made them even more determined to continue."

o Teenagers Charlotte Rowley, Carmen Horrocks and Jasmine Horrocks have raised more than £200 for charity.

The girls, who all live in the Grassington area, sold hand-made items at a stall at the village's Dickensian Festival. In total, they raised £220 which will be split between Multiple Sclerosis and Talking Books for the Blind. The charities were chosen because Charlotte's uncle suffered from MS and used talking books to study with the Open University.