Wigan schoolboy finds a novel way of helping homeless people using crisp packets

Eight-year-old Freddie Derrick decided to do something after seeing a man sitting outside a shop in the pouring rain.

His mum Zoe came across a project online where people used foil crisp packets to make blankets and Freddie thought it would be a good way to help.

Zoe, who lives in Billinge, said: “It was great but we don’t eat a lot of crisps in our house. He doesn’t even really like crisps!”

She posted on Facebook to ask people to donate their crisp packets and her older son Haydon, 19, made a video for YouTube of Freddie explaining what he was doing.

Zoe said: “People started saying they were going to send us their crisp packets.

“He will clean them. We have a large table so he’s going to iron them together. We just put a piece of parchment paper over it and can iron it together to make a blanket.”

Freddie, a pupil at Newfold Primary School, is busy collecting crisp packets and hopes to make as many blankets as possible to give to homeless people.

Zoe said: “I’m so proud of him. He’s really enjoying it.”

It is not the only thing Freddie is doing to help other people. He started running with his mum, following the Couch To 5k training plan, as he was struggling with his running at school.

He signed up for the Royal British Legion’s My Poppy Run appeal, pledging to run 5km and raise money for the charity.

It is particularly poignant as Freddie’s great-grandfather died in the Second World War, while his wife was pregnant, and so never had the chance to meet his

son.

Zoe said: “He’s just done his 5k. He’s absolutely fantastic. He can’t believe he’s done it.”

Freddie has already passed his £100 fund-raising target but is continuing to run and collect donations for the Poppy Appeal.

They can be made at mypoppyrun.britishlegion.org.uk/fundraising/MyPoppyRun2020-ZoeDerrick.

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