Ted is Pride of Britain

SEVEN-year old Warrington youngster Ted McCaffery has won a Pride of Britain award for his fundraising efforts for Alder Hey hospital.
Ted from Stockton Heath, underwent a major heart operation in February last year and completed a fundraising mini-triathlon just eight weeks after leaving hospital.
Ted a pupil at Grange Junior School received his award, in the Young Fundraiser of the Year category, during the glitzy Pride of Britain ceremony that was broadcast on ITV1 this week.
Ted’s desire to raise money for the hospital arose as he awaited lifesaving heart surgery. When the television in the hospital did not work, Ted resolved to raise enough money to provide a new television so that the boredom of an extended hospital stay could be alleviated for future children.
The operation itself took six hours to complete and it was a number of weeks before Ted was allowed to come home. Just eight weeks later, however, Ted completed the mini-triathlon and raised over £1000 for the hospital. Ted was exhausted by the end of the challenge which entailed scooting for 150 metres, cycling 600 metres and running 200m.
“It was really hard but I told everyone I was going to do it and I just wanted to stick to my promise,” reasoned Ted.
After completing the challenge and raising the money, Ted was asked by Alder Hey to become a children’s ambassador.
Ted’s fundraising did not stop there, however, as he has become the driving force behind a number of such events that have taken place in school.
Mr Guy Rands, Head of the Grange Junior School said: “I am not surprised that Ted has been awarded Pride of Britain Young Fundraiser of the Year. He is a young man with a transparently kind, optimistic and pragmatic nature who engages really easily with all the people around him, children and adults alike. Staff, pupils and parents have thrown themselves wholeheartedly into the variety of fundraising activities that Ted has engineered over recent months. This reflects the high regard in which he is held within our community as well as his ability to indirectly motivate others by the way in which he has conducted himself through his own personal challenges. It is richly deserved recognition and warmly welcomed by all those of us that know Ted.”
Meanwhile the Grange Junior School holds an open Morning on Saturday, November 8, 10am – 1pm.