A Year 6 pupil at St Hilda’s Roman Catholic Primary School in Whitby has stunned the organisers of this year’s Mission Together appeal by single-handedly raising more than £200 for less fortunate children.

The pupil went to extraordinary efforts to boost his usual contribution, even donating his own money.

“Every year I raise a lot of money doing jobs inside and out for Mission Together, but this year I have raised £234.80 because I have also given my birthday and Christmas money,” he said. 

 “I decided to do this because in these hard times children deserve this money. It may be the only way to keep them alive.”  

Mission Together is the children’s branch of Missio, the Catholic Church’s official children’s charity for overseas mission.

For 170 years the charity has helped Catholic children follow Jesus’ example by praying, fundraising and becoming missionaries themselves.

What makes Mission Together special is its universal nature – while children in England pray and fundraise for children overseas, children around the world are praying and sharing too, in an amazing exchange of faith and friendship.

Each year, schools throughout the diocese receive free resources and little red collecting boxes and our primary schools are well known for their generosity.

Some send boxes home to be filled with loose change, while others organise imaginative fundraising events. Pupils are also asked to learn about children in their Mission Together family and to remember them in their prayers.

Mission Together helps people regardless of background or beliefs.

Donations from schools or individuals can be sent directly to Mission Together at 23 Eccleston Square, London, SW1V 1NU or given to school Mission Together volunteers.

For more information, visit missiontogether.org.uk.