Our Juniors were treated to a very special assembly recently when 11-year-old best friends, Hughie Higginson and Freddie Xavi from East Lancashire, visited Claires Court to share their incredible story about the importance of friendship.
The pupils heard how when Hughie was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, his best friend, Freddie, was determined to do something to support him. Freddie set himself a challenge of running 2km every day in the 50 days leading up to Christmas Day 2020 to raise money for the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital Charity. He finished his challenge live on BBC Breakfast on Christmas Day morning.
The friends proudly showed the Junior audience their numerous awards including the Pride of Britain 2021 Young Fundraiser award and their British Citizen Youth Award which they had received just the day before! The pair have raised an astonishing £250,000 for Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital Charity and are continuing their fundraising with a new challenge to tour the UK to run 1km around each Premier League and English football club. Their aim is to raise funds for the paediatric oncology clinic in the area of each football club and wish them all the best to complete this.
The boys told the pupils about their recently published picture book called “Friends are Amazing” which talks about why friends are so special and what we can all do to be a brilliant friend. For each copy sold, 25p will be donated to the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital Charity. Hughie and Freddie were so inspirational and the boys and girls loved hearing their story and the amazing things they’ve achieved.
Mr Laouira, Deputy Head Junior Girls said,
"We were so appreciative of the story that Freddie and Hughie shared with us and to see the bond they have.
Supporting our friends is so important and something we encourage in our school throughout their entire journey with us.
Congratulations to the boys for writing such an inspirational book, and we wish them great success in the future."
If you’d like to buy a copy of the book, please go to https://shop.scholastic.co.uk/products/140901.
