Young golfer set for epic round at South Tyneside charity fundraiser for Chloe & Liam trust
A young golfer is aiming to raise £1,000 for two charities - including the Chloe & Liam Together Forever Trust - by doing a treble round at a South Tyneside course.
A young golfing prodigy could put himself in a spin – by going three times around his favourite South Tyneside course in one day to raise hundreds of pounds for charity.
Joseph Newby, 12, will swing into action at Boldon Golf Club to boost the coffers of borough-based Chloe & Liam Together Forever Trust and a suicide prevention organisation.
Over £660 has already been pledged online to help the Sunderland youngster achieve his aim of handing over £500 to each from his marathon 54-hole effort on Tuesday, May 26.
He plans to start with two playing friends at 7am and believes a completion time of nine hours will be par for the course.
Four other pals will join Joseph during his challenge, with two taking over to support him on each of the other 18-hole rounds.
The golf-mad schoolboy wants to reward the Chloe & Liam Together Forever Trust for supportive bursaries it has given him to boost his playing.
The charity, founded in memory of Chloe Rutherford, 17, and Liam Curry, 19, who died in the 2017 Manchester bombing, has helped with sports clothing, equipment and travel expenses to tournaments.
And Joseph is also fundraising for James’ Place, which offers life-saving support to suicidal men in Newcastle, London and Liverpool.
His backing is due to the intervention help the charity gave to a friend of his father Craig, 40, last year.
‘Hoping to raise £1k for charities’
Joseph said: “I’m really looking forward to this 54-hole challenge to raise money for two fantastic charities.
“It will be quite a challenge but I’m really looking forward to getting on the course and getting started.
“I’m hoping I can to £1,000 raised to help these really good causes.”
Joseph has competed in several prestigious competitions, winning some and performing well in others.
He has been a qualifier at Northern Junior Champion of Champions, a day champion at Durham County under-12s Selection Day, a Faldo Futures finalist, and a Harry Dixon Stableford winner.
Proud dad Craig said: “He first picked up a golf club four years ago and he plays every minute he gets, even if it’s snowing.
“He is a natural and has ambitions to one day be a professional. He has a very good short game, such as in chipping and putting.
“He originally hoped to raise £500 in total but is already past that and the target now is £1,000, with £500 to each charity.
“The Chloe & Liam Together Forever Trust has been of great help financially with his golfing, and I am very grateful.
“James’ Place helped a friend when he went through a mental health challenge. They supported him and helped turn his life around.
“I’ve been brought up old school and believe you don’t just take, you give something back when you can and Joseph is doing just that.”
‘An amazing young boy and fantastic golfer’
The Chloe & Liam Together Forever Trust said of Joseph, who is one of its 12 ‘Young Ambassadors’: “We are really happy to support Joseph.
“He is an amazing young boy and a fantastic golfer. He is incredibly talented and is totally dedicated to his sport, we believe he has a bright future ahead.”
Ashleigh Dixon, fundraising manager at James’ Place said: “We are so pleased that Joseph has decided to raise funds for James’ Place.
“James’ Place offers free, life-saving therapy to suicidal men across the North East from our centre in Newcastle, and every penny raised by Joseph will go directly to providing this vital support to men when they need it most.
“We’re really impressed by Joseph, he’s one of our youngest fundraisers, and we know the golf challenge is going to be a huge success.”
Donations can be made at www.justgiving.com.