24 October 2005

Jamie Cassar met two-year-old Jack Plester when Jack's dad brought him round to the Cassar household for a visit. Jamie heard his father and Mr Plester discussing Jack's condition - Duchenne muscular dystrophy - and decided that he wanted to help.

"Children like Jamie are an inspiration"

He asked his dad whether he could give Jack the £50 he'd been saving in order to help make little Jack better. Jamie's dad explained that although it was a lovely idea, £50 couldn't really make Jack better. Jamie thought about it all and decided that, like his friend Toni Godfrey, he would do a sponsored bike ride and try to raise more than £50. He wanted the money to go to the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign, which funds research into Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Nine-year-old Jamie, from Waltham Abbey in Essex, asked people to sponsor him on his seven mile local bike ride.

Jamie Cassar before he set off on his sponsored bike ride Jack's mother, Ashley Plester, knew nothing of Jamie's huge efforts and was really taken aback when Jamie and his father visited the family with a cheque for £142.00. Yvonne Porter, Jack Plester's grandmother, said: "Everyone is so proud of Jamie and touched by his kindness towards Jack, whom he'd only met once. He just wanted to do his bit to help. Children like him and my grandaughter, Toni, should give inspiration to adults in the way they use their spare time to help others less fortunate."

A huge thank you to Jamie for his fantastic fundraising efforts.