Preston Girl's 12-Hour Read-a-Thon Raises £567 for Children's Hospice
Twelve-year-old Jayda Higginson, a resident of Preston, Lancashire, has demonstrated remarkable determination by completing a 12-hour read-a-thon to raise funds for Derian House, a children's hospice that has provided care for her eight-year-old sister Kaia since infancy. Jayda, who lives with dyslexia, ADHD, and visual stress, undertook this challenge on Saturday, February 14, just two days after her birthday, dedicating her entire day to reading the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan.
A Heartfelt Effort for a Vital Cause
Jayda's read-a-thon lasted from morning to evening, during which she read an impressive 706 pages. To keep her energy up, she enjoyed birthday brownies prepared by her mother, Cath. The event was not only a personal achievement but also a significant fundraising success, generating £567—more than five times her initial goal of £100. This money will directly support Derian House in offering free care to families, as the hospice relies heavily on community donations to cover its annual £6 million operating costs, with only about 30% of funding coming from the government.
Inspiring Words from Jayda and Her Family
In a statement, Jayda expressed her gratitude, saying, "I'm so grateful for what Derian House has done for my family. They provide breaks away, playground fun, cinema time, and much more! I did this read-a-thon to raise money so Derian can continue supporting families like mine." Both Jayda and Kaia share a genetic craniofacial syndrome, which has presented lifelong challenges, making the hospice's support even more crucial.
Jayda added, "I got comfy in my Derian House fundraising T-shirt and began to read. Twelve hours, three brownies, and 706 pages later, I'd raised far more than my goal! Thank you to everyone for the donations and support. Huge thanks to my parents—my dad for cheering me on and my mum for giving me snacks."
Family Pride and Community Impact
Cath Higginson, Jayda's mother, shared her pride, noting, "We are so proud of Jayda! She loves books, but reading all day was a huge challenge. She didn't give up for a single minute, and seeing her so determined was incredible. Jayda came up with the idea herself—at first she wanted to do 24 hours, but we settled for 12, and she smashed her £100 target in just 24 hours!"
Ann-Marie Fishwick, community fundraiser at Derian House, praised Jayda's efforts, stating, "Jayda is just incredible. Spending a whole day reading to raise money is hard enough, but doing it knowing it could help other children and families makes it even more special. Every penny she has raised will go straight to helping families who really need it."
This inspiring story highlights the power of community support and individual resilience in making a difference for charitable causes.
