Youngster’s heartwarming donation to British Heart Foundation

William donating the money to John Osbourne, with his assistant headteacher Siobhan Waterhouse, and mother Lorraine.

A YOUNG lad has shown a heart of gold this month by donating a jar of money to the British Heart Foundation.

William Swift was born with a serious heart defect for which he underwent a life-saving operation at just two weeks old. Now aged seven and living a normal life, William, who lives in Frome, has raised £230 for the British Heart Foundation as part of the ‘Wear It. Beat It.’ campaign.

He raised the money by asking pupils and teachers at his school – Norton St. Philip First School – to dress in red for a day and donate money to help others like him. He presented the proceeds to John Osbourne, chairman of the charity’s Frome branch.

John said, “William is a star. After his major surgery, to have encouraged all his school friends to donate and help other children with heart problems is truly wonderful. Well done, William.”

William’s mother Lorraine said, “I’m very proud of William for raising the money on his own. He knew about the British Heart Foundation’s ‘Wear It. Beat It.’ campaign, and when he saw it advertised on television decided he wanted to raise money to help other children like him.

“William leads a very active lifestyle and you wouldn’t know he had been so seriously ill just by looking at him. He has regular checkups and will need further surgery as he grows up, but he has always been grateful to be able to enjoy a full life.”

To find out more about the British Heart Foundation and the ‘Wear It. Beat It.’ campaign go to www.bhf.org.uk.