A FAMILY has raised more than £1,000 by walking from one side of the country to the other after deciding during lockdown to help children less fortunate than themselves.

Eden, Amelie and Jesse Rushworth, aged 13, 12 and ten, decided to walk 325km – from St Bees, in Cumbria, to Robin Hood's Bay, on the North Yorkshire coast – to raise money for Children North East.

Yesterday was the final leg of the Bishop Auckland family's 12-day challenge, which the trio did with dad Sam.

Amelie said: “During lockdown home-school we researched child poverty in the UK and we were sad to learn how many children in our area, possibly including some of our school friends, experience real worries in their lives, such as holiday hunger or fighting in their home, or their mum or dad being unwell.

“In our research, we found Children North East, who are helping children from poor homes, and giving children who are sad and have big worries a friend and support to make their lives better.

“We also learned that because of Covid-19, lots of charities do not have enough money to do their work.

"So we decided to do something to raise money that is desperately needed right now, to help the children in our community.”

The Northern Echo:

Mr Rushworth said he and his wife Siobhain, who has cared for the couple’s two younger children, Ezekiel, two, and Kristen, seven, and set up camp for the others each night, were really proud of the children’s efforts.

Mr Rushworth, a special advisor in the field of international development, said: “It’s been really character building for them.

“We had originally intended to do the walk as a relay team but our son, Eden, has made it the whole way.

"The girls have done lots of it but they’ve had bits of rest here and there.”

Mr Rushworth said he had struggled the most out of everyone, with a sore knee and bad blisters.

He added: “The worst was in the Lakes on Tuesday last week when there was really bad rain and it got quite scary as we were lost on top of a mountain going up from Ennerdale over the top of Great Knott and down into Borrowdale. My son was drenched through and started getting hypothermic.

"Since then the only problem has been the heat.

“I think the kids would probably say they most enjoyed the day we were joined by their cousin Alex from New Brancepeth when we walked from Kirkby Stephen to Keld.”

Mr Rushworth has enjoyed spending such quality time with the children as before lockdown he would have monthly work trips to Rwanda, Central Africa, where he worked in the area of social and emotional learning amongst young people in conflict zones.

He thanked everyone who donated to Children North East as a result of their challenge.

“People have been incredibly generous and it’s really kept the children going,” he said.

Head of fundraising for Children North East, Catriona Taylor, said: “Like all charities, Children North East’s fundraising has been severely hit by Covid-19 with lots of events cancelled and this is at a time when our services have never been more needed. So we are very grateful to the children for choosing Children North East. There is something really heart-warming about children going out of their way to help other children at this crucial time.”

To sponsor the family visit justgiving.com/fundraising/siobhain-rushworth