7 year old boy raises over $150,000 for Haiti

Charlie Simpson: from donations page

Charlie Simpson, aged 7, has been able to raise over $150,000 for Haiti by riding his bike around the local park.

Charlie Simpson is just your ordinary, average, London lad. He's 7 years of age and likes to ride his bike: he's also got a cheeky grin which is par for the course for those from this part of London.

Charlies' also rather special for he's managed over the past weekend to raise over $150,000 for earthquake relief in Haiti. No, he's not done it by hijacking his parents' home and selling it on e-Bay, he's done it the old fashioned way, by asking for sponsors as he cycled around his local park.

Here's how it started:

Charlie Simpson set out to raise £500 for the Unicef Haiti Appeal by riding his bike five miles around his local park. Instead his efforts inspired hundreds of people online.

Charlie, from Fulham, West London, said: “I just think it was quite sad when I saw the pictures on the TV.”...(....)....(His mother) said that when her son saw the images on television he “burst into tears”. “Then we had about a chat about the things he could do, and how he could go about it.”

And here is the webpage they put up for those who would like to sponsor Charlie in his endeavours:

The Earthquake in Haiti has moved us all and Charlie, who is now 7, has decided that he needs to raise some money to help those affected by the disaster.  In order to do this he has decided to do a Sponsored Bicycle ride around our local park - South Park in Fulham.  He is aiming to complete 7 laps (about 5 miles) of South Park this weekend and is hoping that you will sponsor him so that he can raise money for UNICEF to help with their HAITI disaster appeal.

A note from Charlie: 

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. 

How can anyone resist such? Out of the mouths of babes and suckings, no? And indeed many people have been unable to resist the quite gorgerous mixture of childish naivety about how to put the world to rights and the similarly quite wonderful direct approach to doing so. If I cycle my bike in London because I'm making an effort, because I'm trying to make the world a better place, then the world will become a better place.

And yes Charlie, the world has indeed become a better place because of your efforts.

That's as of 18:00 GMT Monday 25 January.

There are some other 7 year olds on the other side of the ocean who will survive to ride their bicycles as a result of what you've done.

Good on yer' lad, good on yer'

Update: 0800 GMT 26 Jan: