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Auchnagatt youngsters' enterprise raises big money for charities


By Kirsty Brown

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A group of youngsters have raised over £5000 for charity thanks to some innovative lockdown entrepreneurship.

While in lockdown through the summer months, 11 year old Rhys Fenwick set up Bake Create Donate to sell 'Bake At Home' boxes which raised £1020 for the NHS.

Delighted to see all of his hard work pay off for such a worthy cause, Rhys decided he wanted to try again and this time enlisted the help of Auchnagatt School friends Robert Ingram (11), Cara Mallarkey (11), Jack McGowan (10), Stewart Parley (9) and Iona Mallarkey (9) with hopes of making his project bigger and better.

Starting at the end of August the youngsters worked together to design and create two Christmas themed bake and craft boxes - Elf In A Box and The Jack Frost Box.

They decided that they would like to donate the money they raised with their Christmas boxes to two charities which help children - Children's Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS) and Cash For Kids Mission Christmas.

To help get their festive project off the ground the group organised a raffle in October which raised £750 which allowed them to buy boxes and other pieces they needed to make their Christmas boxes a reality.

Doing all of the work themselves in their spare time, the boxes were ready for sale at the end of November and the youngsters were able to open a stall outside J and K Shoes and Aberdeenshire Larder.

As well as selling their boxes, the stalls also boasted yummy treats for dogs and people and some face masks and bags which were kindly made by a friend to support the youngsters' efforts.

Their fundraising was also kindly boosted by a surprise raffle in Bare Zero Waste which raised £654 for the two charities.

The youngsters are grateful for all of the support which they've had along the way and would like to thank all of the kind hearted people in Aberdeenshire Larder, Bare, J and K Shoes, Essential Pop Up and Ardo Christmas Trees who helped them to sell their boxes.

They have also extended their thanks to everybody who bought a box or a treat, or supported them in any way, with many of the group citing meeting so many kind people as their favourite bit of Bake Create Donate.

Commenting on the experience, Rhys said: "I have enjoyed the time spent with my friends and it makes me happy to think we are able to help others."

Rhys's mum Kaye said:" The final total was £4300 meaning each charity received £2150.

"This blew the kids away.

"The kindness, support and encouragement from strangers has been amazing!

"The children have put so much hard work into the project, and us mums are just bursting with pride.

"They are truly the most kind hearted children."

Bake Create Donate raised over £4000 for charity with their Christmas boxes.
Bake Create Donate raised over £4000 for charity with their Christmas boxes.

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