Morecambe schoolboy sells his own newspaper to raise money to help people in need

A nine-year-old Morecambe boy is on a mission to 'change the world' and help those less fortunate than himself.
Javier Shaw helping prepare food parcels for the lunch club.Javier Shaw helping prepare food parcels for the lunch club.
Javier Shaw helping prepare food parcels for the lunch club.

Javier Shaw has already raised £400 after writing his own 'newspaper' and selling it in the street.

He has now donated his funds to several local causes - Morecambe Bay Foodbank, West End Impact, Tactical Street Angels and Father's House in Lancaster, which runs a food club.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But the Sandylands pupil is not stopping there - he plans to continue his efforts to raise more money for people in need around the district.

Javier Shaw donates some of his fundraising to Tactical Street Angels.Javier Shaw donates some of his fundraising to Tactical Street Angels.
Javier Shaw donates some of his fundraising to Tactical Street Angels.

Mum Lisa said he came up with the idea after studying Egypt in school.

"He took it upon himself to write his own article and then printed off some copies and said he was going to sell them in the street to make money for the homeless," she said.

"It's quite strange because my mum was in Egypt in 1992 helping a homeless charity which he doesn't even know about."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Unfortunately however, Javier's initial efforts went to waste as he struggled to sell his 5p newsletter to passers-by.

Javier Shaw collecting money for charity by selling his newspaper.Javier Shaw collecting money for charity by selling his newspaper.
Javier Shaw collecting money for charity by selling his newspaper.

But after an appeal by Lisa on Facebook, numerous kind-hearted locals came forward and bought Javier's work.

"He is quite shy but I gave him a little push to do it, and he went to the end of the street and I could see people walking past him," Lisa said.

"He was so disheartened so I said I would buy the papers but he said he wanted to do it himself."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

From his initial sales, Javier raised £401 which this week he donated to his chosen charities.

Some of the newspaper article which Javier wrote about Egypt.Some of the newspaper article which Javier wrote about Egypt.
Some of the newspaper article which Javier wrote about Egypt.

He now hopes to continue to help local causes, and plans to write a news article every week to help provide a constant supply of food for those who need it.

"I don't know where he got the idea from, it's just something he had in his head about helping people without money," Lisa said.

"I do quite a lot for charity but I tend to do it anonymously and so Javi doesn't know about it, so I was quite shocked, but I was really proud of him because it reminded me of me.

"He's so empathetic and has a really sensitive soul."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Javier has also raised £30 to help a family in the Philippines.

"He was asking me one day wwhat I was doing and I told him I was helping this family and he asked me questions about it," Lisa said.

"You could see the sadness in his eyes and he said he would send some things to them. He's just that kind of little boy being concerned about people who don't have anything."

Javier, who has been supported by his five brothers and sisters aged from five to 24, has also put his own money towards helping a lunch club, and has helped his dad Dale to deliver the food parcels.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Javier himself had a struggle early in life, after being seriously ill with sepsis and e-coli at just 10 days old and being 24 hours from death.

"We always thought he was a special little boy," Lisa said. "He wants to change the world."

You can help Javier with his fundraising by going to his Facebook page here.

Related topics: