A remarkable seven-year-old girl has won the Heroes in the Community 2014 Heart of Gold award sponsored by Celton Manx.
Cici Reed, from Peel, has raised more than ?2,500 for ‘Big H’, the former TT rider Paul Hunt seriously injured while serving as a marshall in the 2014 TT.
The St John’s Primary School pupil devoted all her summer holidays to fundraising activities after seeing photos of Paul who, she said, looked ‘so sad’.
Her mother, Alison, said: ‘At the start of the year Cici raised ?250 for rescued greyhounds by selling plants from a stall outside our house. After seeing Paul confined to a wheelchair she said she wanted to raise money “so Big H can buy chocolate to cheer himself up”, but now we hope the money might help Paul buy equipment to make his life easier. She also wants to become a St John Ambulance volunteer so she can learn first aid and, whenever anyone says what a fantastic fundraiser she is, she just says “I’m not doing anything special.”’
Presenting the award Celton Manx executive director Bill Mummery said: ‘Cici is a delight to meet and a very special seven-year-old whose selfless devotion to others is spirit-lifting and truly humbling. For one so young to be gifted with such compassion Cici is a most deserving winner.
‘Celton Manx is pleased to have sponsored the Heart of Gold award once again and to be associated with Heroes in the Community, a campaign that recognises ordinary people achieving extraordinary things and which, in many ways, mirrors our approach to encouraging and supporting community endeavour.’
Photo - Celton Manx executive director Bill Mummery presents Cici Reed, seven, with her Heart of Gold award, watched by Cici’s mother, Alison. Picture Matt Mosur Photography.
