‘Football mad’ Ella raises £800 for NHS

Nine-year-old Ella Wasson (pictured right) asked her family and friends to take part in her fundraiser by completing 10 ‘tap-ups’ with a football and share their video with the hashtag #ellasNHScharitychallenge.

Ella, from Newbuildings, also set up a Go Fund Me page and aimed to raise £150.

However, the challenge was an even bigger success than Ella imagined and is currently sitting at £815, more than five times her target. Ella’s mother Roberta told how the whole family, including dad Kyle and younger siblings Hannah and Alex, are ‘so proud’.

“She came up with the idea herself. She has a heart of gold and is a really kind hearted girl. She said to me that she’d like to do something to raise money for the NHS. She went away and thought about what she could do and decided on the tap-ups. She wanted to raise £150 and is delighted with what she has raised so far.”

Ella ‘loves’ football and ‘always has a ball at her feet,’ so it was no surprise the challenge incorporated it. She plays locally for Newbuildings Football Club and Derry City Girls and is part of the IFA Development Squad (Northern Ireland Girls U10).

You can take part in Ella’s challenge and donate at https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/EllaWasson