A MAGOR nine-year-old girl has raised £700 for the Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital Charity by doing a sponsored litter pick in her local community.

Lauren Wilmshurst wanted to give something back to the only children’s hospital in Wales after her little brother Kobi was treated and cared for there in 2015.

When Kobi was 18-months-old, he was rushed to Noah’s Ark for urgent surgery after a bump on his head resulted in a bleed on his brain. The operation was a success and Kobi spent a week in hospital while he recovered.

Last year, Lauren sold collections of rocks and shells which she presented in gift bags and raised £10.30 for Noah’s Ark. This time round, she wanted to do something bigger.

She said: “I love the idea of raising money for a good cause.

"I love where I live and thought it would be good to do something to look after and improve the environment.

"So, I decided to do 30 minutes of litter picking every day for the 31 days in March. My family supports the Noah's Ark Charity as they helped us a few years ago and I wanted to help too.”

Her fundraising efforts were also recognised by her local councillor, who thanked her for all her hard work.

The Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital Charity supports the only children’s hospital in Wales, helping to ensure world class care and the best outcome and experience possible for the young patients who receive treatment there.

At the beginning of the Covid-19 crisis, the charity saw an immediate 50 per cent drop in its fundraising income.

Rachael Southcott, events and community officer for Noah’s Ark said: “The litter pick has not only kept her community clean and tidy, but she’s also raised vital funds that will help us continue to provide life-saving equipment and services to support the children and families who need us.”

If you would like to donate to Lauren’s JustGiving page, please visit the link here: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/LaurensLitterPick