Caring youngsters in charity fun run

Fund-raisers (from the left) Esther Darraugh (9), Eve Darraugh (8), Lucy Cousins (10) and Hannah Thompson (10) hand over money to Geoff Goodwin, from Family Aid Direct

A Royton schoolgirl is helping to fund a poor Indian boy’s education with a sponsored fun run which raised £180.

Esther Darraugh’s family support 13-year-old Donald, who lives in the remote northern Indian town of Shillong, in Meghalaya state, through Family Aid direct.

The charity was set up by Royton’s Bethesda Baptist Church and encourages people to give regular amounts which help small scale projects in India.

Now the Darraugh family get regular letters and cards from Donald, describing his education.

Her father, Scott, from Garden Terrace, said: “It costs something like £2.50 a month to put someone through school in India, and we help with things like uniforms and books.

“We get cards and letter about four times a year, and Esther decided to organise a fun run for the charity.

“We didn’t know if anything would come of it, but she has raised quite a bit of money.”

Esther (9) who goes to Thornham St James’ Primary School, was helped by her sister Eve (8) and her friends Hannah Thompson and Lucy Cousins.

They mapped out a one kilometre cross -country route around Thornham and made posters, leaflets and sponsor forms.

The money is still coming in from last month’s run and has so far raised £180.