Help for Heroes to benefit from youngster’s swimming fundraiser

Forces' charity Help for Heroes is set to benefit from a seven-year-old boy's fundraising effort.

Rhys Abernethy, from Cockermouth in Cumbria, successfully raised £350 for the organisation – which provides support to members of the armed forces who are injured while in conflict – on Remembrance Sunday (November 13th) by swimming over a mile in his local pool.

The youngster's mother Helen told the Cumbria News and Star: "Rhys said he wanted to do something on Remembrance Sunday for charity, so he picked Help for Heroes. A mile is 64 lengths but he ended up doing 72."

Rhys, who is a pupil at Eaglesfield Paddle School, raised the cash by appealing for sponsorship for the swim from his friends, family and swimming teachers.

Deadline News recently reported student Seonaid Holsgrove has set up a society at Strathclyde University to raise money for the forces' charity. So far, the group has collected £223.40 for the cause.

Posted by Trevor Smith