Wisbech schoolgirl with the fundraising bug is taking on marathon challenge

An eight-year-old schoolgirl has caught the fundraising bug and is aiming to raise more money to help classmate and his family.

Shyla Brown raised over £800 in April with a lemonade stall for Harrison Dodkin and his brothers Finley and Arthur and is now looking to take on a more physical challenge.

The Peckover School pupil from Wisbech is tackling a whole marathon around the streets near her home in 24 hours.

Her aim is to raise even more money for Harrison, who together with his eldest brother has been diagnosed with Battens Disease, strand CLN3, a life limiting and degenerative neurological disease that will not only take the boys’ sight, their memory and their physical abililties but will also take them from their parents, Sarah and Ben and middle brother Arthur too soon.

The Dodkin family have been running a Pedal4memories appeal for the past few years with the aim of raising cash to help the boys make memories and splitting all money raised with the Battens Disease Family Association – a charity which supports families with children who have the disease.

Shyla – the eldest child of Blair Simpson and Dean Brown – will be tackling the 26 miles of a marathon in blocks of three, six and nine miles and will be wearing a tracker so those sponsoring her can watch her progress.

She will be supervised by her parents as she takes on the challenge.

Blair said jokingly: “Shyla has the fundraising bug and has decided that her next fundraiser, to my disappointment won’t be a sponsored silence, but is instead taking on a marathon in 24 hours.

“She is hoping to walk and run it, we’re hoping it’s mostly walking as she will need to be supervised. Harrison and his family are planning to join her for part of the walk.”

The aim is to raise at least £400 and Shyla has a Just Giving page on there she explains her excitement at taking on the walk on June 3.

She said: “We talked about what I could do and mum asked me to do a sponsored silence, but I said no. Then she joked I could do a marathon and I said ‘yes’.

“Mum asked me if I knew what it was and I said ‘yeah of course it’s a long walk or run’. Mum told me it’s 26.2 miles and so I said ‘shall we do it now’. Mum explained and shoed how much we will have to walk and I said ‘yeah that’ll be OK’. So we’re doing it. I hop other people will me on.

“If you can sponsor me I would be so happy and I know Harrison and his family would love it very much.”