A selfless youngster from Bucks collected and delivered mountains of food to a food bank every week for a year to help Covid-hit families.
Henry Sinclair, then aged six, called on neighbours and passers-by to give food to those who had lost their jobs or were struggling financially due to the pandemic.
The youngster, of Piddington, Bucks, now seven, placed a collection box outside his house with home-made signs asking for kind-hearted people to donate.
Each week he managed to collect an entire car boot-full of food and other necessities, like toiletries, for High Wycombe-based food bank One Can Trust.
He also appeared on local radio three times to promote the cause and, as a Beaver, was awarded the Commissioners Commendation by the Chief Commissioner of The Scout Association, Tim Kidd OBE.
Now the youngster plans to continue his work and, when he turns eight in May, will be able to volunteer - helping to sort donations at the food bank.
He said: "All my neighbours are very generous. The box keeps overflowing. Every day I look in the box and it’s almost like a volcano erupting.
"Thank you to my neighbours for helping me to help the One Can Trust to support lots of families to get food.”
Proud mum Katie said: "Henry is still as passionate today as when he started a year ago. He has shown such kindness and at seven-years-old, he is dedicated to making a difference in society.
“We’re extremely proud of Henry, especially as we mark a year on and he’s as passionate about it today as a year ago. We still drop off boot-loads of food each week."
Dad, Mark said: "The first few weeks we had the box out there Henry would watch out the window and every time someone dropped something in the box he would run out the front door to say shout 'thank you'.
"He was very passionate about it from the word go."
Henry got involved after hearing about mum-of-two Liz Blackman from Wooburn Green, Buckinghamshire, on a local radio station. Liz’s act of kindness went on to inspire an army of new supporters and was the first of One Can's Street Heroes.
Ms Blackman said: “I’m so proud that more than 300 people went on to become Street Heroes. As soon as we went into the first lockdown, I knew so many families would be finding this an extremely difficult time.
"I'd heard of One Can and decided to put a box outside my house for friends and neighbours to donate cans and food.
"I leaflet dropped locally and after one hour the box was full. I soon found myself dropping off car loads of food many times a week.”
The food bank has seen the numbers of people reliant on its support leap from around 200 to 600 - with even more expected in the coming months.
Kate Brewster, a trustee at the charity, said: “Since the start of the pandemic we've seen a surge in demand and, alongside our regular volunteers, the Street Heroes have made an incredible difference helping many vulnerable families in South Bucks.
“For Henry, at the age of just seven, to have kept up his support for an entire year is just amazing.
“Thank you from all the team at One Can - both to our Street Heroes and everyone who supports us - and please keep it up. We really do need your help more than ever.”
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