A kind-hearted Bangor boy has launched his fundraising career early after deciding to do a sponsored run for sick children – at just six years old. Leo Southall turned six in April, a milestone he decided to match in kilometres by running six kilometres to raise money for children with cancer.
Leo began learning the techniques of long-distance running just a few months ago, in time for his first sponsored run for the Cancer Fund for Children on Sunday. He was accompanied by his proud family – mum Catherine, dad Michael and his older brother Rex, who is seven.
A P2 pupil at Ballyholme Primary School, Leo decided to mark his sixth birthday with a fundraising run after catching the running bug through the Ward Park junior parkrun. His mum, Catherine, explained that although he only started taking part a couple of months ago, he is already achieving personal bests.
“It was his sixth birthday on April 20 and I was putting him to bed and we were just chatting when he said he wanted to give money to charity and that he wanted to do that by running,” she said. “I asked him if he wanted to do 2k or 5k or something and he said, ‘six, because it’s my sixth birthday.’ I said, ‘Let’s find a charity,’ and when I mentioned the Cancer Fund for Children he agreed that was a good choice.”
Training soon began in earnest. Alongside the junior parkrun, the family started going for longer runs together on Tuesday evenings. Catherine said Michael acts as the family’s pacer, helping the boys learn about pacing themselves rather than sprinting ahead, as they often do when chasing personal bests at parkrun.
“The family runs have really begun to improve their times and we said at the start we’d give them £5 for each personal best. Now they’re getting PBs every week, so a wee incentive certainly motivates them,” she laughed. “Leo started off the parkrun at about 12 minutes over two miles but he’s already down to just over 10 minutes. Rex is fast too, and does it in just over nine minutes.”
Catherine said Leo’s motivation came from wanting to help other children. “He wanted to help children but he’s not articulate enough to express that he wanted to help children with cancer. When I suggested the Cancer Fund for Children helps children who are sick, he said he wanted to do it for them. I have told him what the charity does and that it helps sick children in Northern Ireland.
“He’s a kind boy,” she added.
Leo’s sponsored run, accompanied by his family, began at the Banks car park near Ballyholme Beach. The route followed the coastal path along Ballyholme Esplanade towards Bangor for three kilometres before turning back and retracing the same route to complete the six-kilometre challenge.
People can still support Leo’s fundraising effort by donating through his JustGiving page –
https://www.justgiving.com/page/leo-southall-1?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=EM
