Wincham schoolgirl's bike ride raises cash for Haiti appeal (From Northwich Guardian)

Wincham schoolgirl's bike ride raises cash for Haiti appeal

8:50am Saturday 20th February 2010 in

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A WINCHAM schoolgirl used pedal power on Valentine’s Day to raise £700 for the Haiti appeal.

Nine-year-old Jessie Leigh rode her bike for 13 miles around Ashton’s and Neumann’s flashes – the same distance as from Northwich to Warrington – in her bid to help the stricken victims of the earthquake.

“I was inspired by Charlie Simpson who raised £75,000 by doing a bike ride – I thought if he can do that then I could do something to help too,” she said.

“We learned about Haiti at school and I remember thinking that if I had been in the earthquake I would have just cried – it wasn’t nice at all.”

Proud mum Nicky said: “When Jessie got the idea she wrote all her plans in a notebook, right down to how much she could raise, who to ask for sponsorship and how far she would ride – when I saw that I couldn’t say no.”

Pupils and staff at Wincham Primary School got behind Jessie, including Harry Sleep who was recently featured in the Guardian for donating his Christmas money to the earthquake appeal.

Jessie said: “My dad did the ride with me and my family put up posters around the route saying ‘GO JESS GO’ – we baked and decorated about 30 loveheart biscuits and gave them to people hoping they would sponsor me.

“We did stretches before the ride to warm up but I was still really tired at the end – I didn’t think I was going to make it on the last lap, my legs felt like jelly – but mum and dad took me to Mr Fu’s for my favourite chicken and sweetcorn soup afterwards.

“We’ve raised £700 so far which is about £200 more than I thought we’d get so we’re really pleased.

“I’m hoping that the money I raise will go towards medical supplies and to help rebuild the college in Haiti that was demolished.

“When I heard about that on Newsround tears welled up in my eyes.”