Felixstowe: Girls go a year without chocolate for charity
FELIXSTOWE: For many of us, the thought of going without chocolate for a week would be too much to bear.
But a pair of school girls from Felixstowe managed the sacrifice for an entire YEAR – raising hundreds of pounds for charity in the process.
Determined Elle Lewis, 14, and Rachel Bellamy, 13, both from Deben High School, undertook the stomach-rumbling challenge in aid of the Make a Wish Foundation, which helps children who are battling life-threatening illnesses.
Rachel said: “It was toughest over the first and last week.
“At first I was thinking ‘how am I going to do it’ but I got over it and after a while it got easier.
“During the last week all I could think was that I would be able to eat chocolate soon.
“My parents bought chocolate much less often but sometimes my dad would come back with chocolate and I would have to remind him.”
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Elle added: “Occasions when you eat chocolate like Christmas and Easter were hard.”
Chocolate bars were not the only things the duo had to give up – they also had to check ingredients in food to check cocoa had not been used.
The girls started the challenge at different times, with Rachel finishing in November and Elle in January.
They didn’t use the internet to publicise their cause relying instead on friends, family members, schools and church groups to reach their fundraising target.
They were presented with a certificate from the foundation which the girls said made all their efforts worthwhile.
The Evening Star bought the pair as much chocolate as they could eat to congratulate them.
Elle said: “It was nice to get a certificate saying what we had done and saying we were helping people.
“Since we’ve done this and realised how much we have raised – its been nice to know we’re helping people.”
In total, �718 was raised through the girls’ effort.
n Are you taking on a charity challenge with a difference? Write to Your Letters, The Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN.
