An eight-year-old boy from Peasedown St John has been an inspiration to others with his charitable fundraising and is heading to Peru to present a cheque for £500.
Jack Marquez-Vega, who attends St Julian’s School in Wellow, has raised £488 for an orphanage in Lima, Peru.
Jack, whose father Sam is from the Peruvian capital, ran a cake sale at his school and completed a 10-mile bike ride along the canal from Widcombe to Bradford-on-Avon just a few weeks ago.
When asked why he wanted to raise the money, he said: “So I can help the children in the orphanage who don’t have a lot of things.”
Jack has now flown to Peru for a month with his family to visit Shama, the orphanage supported by The British Community Trust, a Peruvian charity chaired by his grandmother, Elizabeth Marquez.
He’ll buy items for the children from the money raised whilst in Lima and present them to the children later this week.
Last week, Jack attended his local church in Peasedown St John where Revd Matthew Street, the Leader of St John’s Church, and church family members congratulated him on his fundraising efforts.
Matthew said: “We are all very pleased and proud of Jack for his work. Despite being eight-years old, he has had the determination and belief to raise all of this money for children in another part of the world who have no parents or family, and few worldly goods.
Jack has been an inspiration to others. I have no doubt that we’ll see more charitable fundraising from him in the future.”
For more information about Shama orphanage in Peru and to donate to the charity people can contact Jack’s mother, Emily Marquez-Vega by emailing [email protected], or visit www.bctperu.co.uk
