Seven-Year-Old Charlie Simpson Visits Downing Street After Raising GBP200,000 for Children in Haiti

LONDON, January 27 /PRNewswire/ --
- Sarah Brown Congratulates Charlie for Raising Over GBP200,000 for UNICEF's Emergency Appeal for Children in Haiti
Quote from the Prime Minister Gordon Brown:
"Charlie's dedication in raising money for the victims of the Haiti earthquake is truly inspirational and a shining example of the kind of friendship, goodness, and compassion so often shown by British people."
Quotes from Charlie:
Charlie says to the public who have supported him:
"Thank you for all the money you have given me. You have been so kind; it will help people get a tent or some water kits and some food. My legs aren't too achy. Love from Charlie Simpson."
Charlie said of his visit to Downing Street:
"It was very fun going to the Prime Minister's house and meeting Sarah Brown. I cycled my bike down Downing Street and even a bit inside! I liked talking to the boys about riding our bikes."
Quote from UNICEF UK Executive Director- David Bull:
"Charlie is a real inspiration to us all and it was fantastic to see his tremendous efforts recognised by Downing Street. Nearly half of the population in Haiti are children and the money that Charlie has raised will help UNICEF to make sure that the children affected by the earthquake have enough food and water to survive, as well as being able to have somewhere safe to stay and being able to fulfill their right to get an education, despite the destruction that has occurred. We're so grateful to everyone who has supported Charlie or has been fundraising themselves. And of course we want to say a huge thank you to Charlie - he really has made such a difference to the lives of thousands of children."
Press information:
27th January 2010 - Today seven-year-old Charlie Simpson and his family visited 10 Downing Street, where the Prime Minister's wife, Sarah Brown, gave them a tour of Number 10 and congratulated him on his achievement of raising over GBP200,000 for UNICEF's Haiti Earthquake Children's Appeal.
On Sunday 24th January Charlie cycled five miles around his local park to raise money for UNICEF's work to help children in Haiti. Charlie and his family set up the sponsorship page after seeing what had happened on the news and he had aimed to raise GBP500 for UNICEF. But as news of his kind-hearted appeal spread his total rose to nearly GBP200,000, with people from all over the world donating.
The Prime Minister and his wife Sarah Brown heard about Charlie's incredible fundraising efforts and invited him to Number 10 this morning where Sarah Brown welcomed him, his family and his bike!
What Charlie's sponsorship could provide:
- Just GBP10 can provide a family with a basic water kit with everything they need for clean, safe water; - GBP175 can buy a 'school in a box' which provide all that teachers need to set up emergency schools so that children need to carry on their education even when their schools have been destroyed; - People who have sponsored Charlie GBP25 have helped UNICEF to buy enough Ready to Use Therapeutic Food (Plumpy Nut) to feed a child for a month and protect them from severe malnutrition.

Even before the earthquake, Haiti had the highest rates of infant, under-5 and maternal mortality in the Western Hemisphere. UNICEF, the world's leading children's organisation is reaching children affected by the Earthquake in Haiti with life-saving support. For example:
- Eight plane-loads of life-saving UNICEF supplies have arrived to date and more are on the way carrying tents, water, sanitation, health and nutrition supplies; - With the Ministry of Health, UNICEF will start urgent immunisation against measles, tetanus and diphteria for 600,000 children under the age of five; - In Port au Prince, UNICEF is now reaching 186,000 people daily with life saving drinking water. In addition, bottled water is being distributed daily to three hospitals, two orphanages and a police station; - With people moving out of the capital, critical support is also being supplied in Jacmel. A UNICEF team distributed life saving supplements to about 1000 severely malnourished children in Jacmel, including; vitamin A, zinc, and oral rehydration sachets, as well as high protein, high energy biscuits; - Children are our number one priority. UNICEF and 30 partners are reaching and securing 2,000 unaccompanied infants per day. We are also registering them and tracing their families with a view to reuniting them or alternately placing them in appropriate care once we ascertain that they have no living relatives.

Every pound raised makes a real difference to UNICEF's work to protect children and their rights. UNICEF does not receive money from the DEC nor from the UN budget.
To sponsor Charlie, donate to UNICEF's Haiti Earthquake Children's appeal or find out how you too can fundraise, go to: http://www.unicef.org.uk/charlie. Or call 0800-316-5353 to donate.
- NB: Pictures of 7-year-old Charlie Simpson meeting Prime Minister's wife, Sarah Brown and of UNICEF's work in Haiti are available from UNICEF UK. Contact Maeve McClenaghan +44(0)207-375-6091 or email media@unicef.org.uk
Pictures of 7-year-old Charlie Simpson meeting Prime Minister's wife, Sarah Brown and of UNICEF's work in Haiti are available from UNICEF UK. Contact Maeve McClenaghan +44(0)207-375-6091 or email media@unicef.org.uk