South Shields girl sets up stall to help Ukraine appeal and South Tyneside foodbank

Katie Smith, of Cleadon Vale, set up a tuck shop outside her home selling sweets, cakes, loombands, and sunflowers to people walking past to raise money for two worthy causes.

The eight-year-old has been planning to do this for sometime and eventually the idea was brought to life and decided to split the funds she raised between the food bank in Boldon Lane and Ukraine.

Katie’s mum, Gillian said: “Katie donated food to the food bank during lockdown so that was always going to be her choice but also due recent events in Ukraine, this has really upset Katie at the thought of children having to leave their homes and potentially lose loved ones.”

Gillian said Kate doesn’t have any brothers and sisters, and comes up with all the ideas herself of what she wants to sell to raise the money.

Katie who attends Mortimer Primary managed to raise £233.65 from her tuck shop but when Gillian posted a photo of Katie on her personal Facebook and Instagram accounts, people were moved by the eight-year-old’s generosity and have been adding to the donations. She has now reached £300 with a couple more donations still to come.

Parents, Gillian, 36 and Michael, 37 are immensely proud of their daughter for not only raising the money but having the initiative to do something to help those less fortunate. The couple described her as ‘amazing’ and the rest of her family have been supportive of her fundraiser.

Speaking about her fundraiser, Katie said: “I like to help other people because I like to make people happy and don’t like the thought of people going hungry.”

The schoolgirl is set to make the donation to the food bank this Friday as well as sending donations to Ukraine.

The youngster is already thinking about her next fundraiser and how she can help others in need, Gillian added: “She has nothing set in stone yet but she is very keen to do another charity event sometime soon.”

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