Boy, 7, organises fun day in Towcester to raise money for the air ambulance after they saved his dad’s life

A seven-year-old boy has organised a family fun day in Towcester to raise money for the air ambulance service after they saved his father’s life.

Joey’s Family Funday will take place at The Saracens Head in Watling Street, Towcester on Saturday, July 16.

All money raised from the day will be split between two charities: The Children’s Air Ambulance and Macmillan Cancer.

The event was organised by Joey Holmes with the help and support of his mum, Lorraine, and Michelle from The Saracens Head.

Joey said: “The Air Ambulance helped my pappy after he had a heart attack so I have always liked them.”

The seven-year-old started raising money for the Children’s Air Ambulance in February 2021 after he was given a challenge by his school - Towcester CofE Primary School - to do ‘100 of something.’

Joey rose to the challenge and made 100 keyrings, which contained positive words such as ‘smile’, ‘love’, ‘laugh’ and ‘be kind’. He then hid them around his home town for people to find and hopefully to make them smile during the third national lockdown.

Each keyring contained a note from Joey saying that he hoped the keyring made the finder smile and, if it did, he would love it if the finder could donate a couple of pennies to The Children’s Air Ambulance.

His mother, Lorraine, set up a GoFundMe page with a target of £250. Within 12 hours, he hit this target. Within a week, he raised triple the target.

This incentivised Joey to continue his fundraising efforts and he went on to host a variety of projects including a quiz night, treasure hunt and logo quiz..

Joey continued: “When I was making my keyrings, my mum was helping the Children’s Air Ambulance at her work as they were struggling to raise money during Covid, so I said I would like to try and help them to raise money, so I became a member of The Children’s Air Ambulance children’s club called #TheCrew, which helps you to learn about saving lives, helicopters and how fundraising helps them.

“I have raised lots of money for them so far and want to carry on for as long as I can and I hope my Family Funday will help raise lots.”

When Michelle from The Saracens Head approached Joey and Lorraine earlier in the year to see if they wanted to work together to do a family funday, they jumped at the chance.

After months of planning Joey’s Family Funday is set to go ahead this week.

Everyone is welcome and visitors can look forward to a barbecue, family disco, games, entertainment, a raffle with fun prizes, cakes and other sweet treats, stalls, face painting and more.

Joey’s Family Funday kicks off at 12pm on Saturday, July 16 and it will continue into the evening with the disco beginning at 4pm and a singer performing at 7pm.

Visit the event’s Just Giving Page at: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Joey-Holmes7