A NINE-year-old boy has raised more than £520 for ShelterBox after asking friends and family to donate to help people made homeless by Cyclone Amphan in India and Bangladesh.

James Baker, pictured, who goes to St Peter’s School in Tavistock, was so moved by a letter from the charity working in the region where people are now also battling coronavirus that he gave £10 of his own money. He then invited friends and family to join him in donating to the charity with a page on the JustGiving website.

His mum Louise said: ‘James has been raising money for ShelterBox for a couple of years now and when the latest mailing came through about evacuees from Cyclone Amphan in Asia and the impact of coronavirus added to it, he asked if he could donate £10 of his own money.

‘From this “seed” he decided to ask family and friends, his headteacher suggested setting up a JustGiving page, and he’s now raised over £520! It was his aim to raise enough for one whole shelter, £389, but he’s on his way to two and would like to meet this new target.’

James, who likes camping, fishing and exploring Dartmoor, first heard about ShelterBox at its stall at a local fun day, where he found out about its work supplying survival kits which house and feed people made homeless in disasters around the world.

This inspired him to start his own fundraising for the charity, holding a barbecue with his sister in their parents’ garden, which raised £50.

James himself said: ‘When the letter came from ShelterBox about Cyclone Amphan and evacuees having the extra risk of coronavirus I asked my mum if I could donate £10 of my own money.

‘She said yes and that she’d give some too and then I wondered what would happen if I asked other people to donate a little bit too.

‘I was so surprised when my WhatsApp to my family raised £110 in 15 minutes! I asked if my school would put it in their newsletter and to do this, we created a JustGiving page. Since then, because of people seeing it and sharing it, everyone who has contributed has raised over £500.

‘I’m really pleased that from my £10, there’s now enough to buy a whole shelter for a family and a bit left over. I’d like to raise enough to buy two shelters and will keep on thinking of ways to raise money for ShelterBox.’

His mum added: ‘He was pleased to receive a certificate and badge from ShelterBox yesterday and they’ve offered for him to go and visit head office in Truro, possibly taking his whole school, to say thank you for him being a star fundraiser.’