Seven-year-old cyclist raises $100k for Haiti

Seven-year-old cyclist raises $100k for Haiti Charlie Simpson set out to collect around 500 pounds ($890) for a UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) appeal by cycling eight kilometres around his local park in London, but his efforts inspired hundreds of people to donate online.

He started his fundraising efforts after seeing shocking images of children being pulled alive from the rubble in the Caribbean nation.

"My name is Charlie Simpson, I want to do a Sponsored Bike Ride for Haiti because there was a big earthquake and loads of people have lost their lives. I want to make some money to buy food, water and tents for everyone in Haiti," he wrote on his website.

"I just think it was quite sad when I saw the pictures on the TV," he added.

His mother, Leonora, helped him create a sponsorship form and said the document quickly spread around the internet and the enormous sum was donated in one day.

"He really felt strongly about this and thought that something had to be done," she said.

"But what started off as a little cycle round the park with his dad has turned into something a lot bigger than that and we can't believe it.

"I am extremely proud of our Charlie, he's done really well. He's worked hard and he's raised a phenomenal amount of money so we couldn't ask for anything more."

Donations from his JustGiving website go to UNICEF, which is leading emergency relief efforts on water, sanitation, education and nutrition as well as supporting child protection.

UNICEF said it was the first time anyone had collected the large sum in one day for the fund and the money would make "a huge difference".

"It's always heartwarming when any child starts to respond Embroidered Fabrics and there's something quite special about a child in the UK reaching out to the children of Haiti," said spokesman Michael Newsome.

The magnitude 7.0-earthquake, which hit Haiti on January 12, has killed tens of thousands of people and is the worst recorded disaster ever to hit the Americas.