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Eleven-year-old David takes on 12-hour sponsored silence for charity Christian Aid

Chatterbox David Bell had pledged to stay silent for 12 hours this weekend to raise money for international charity, Christian Aid.
 
David, from Chesterton, started delivering Christian Aid Week (10-16 May) envelopes as a toddler with his Mum, Eona, but with lockdown restricting their usual fundraising, he decided to try something different.
 
David said: “I wanted to give myself a challenge, and raise money for charity while doing it. The sponsored silence will be on Saturday 16th May from 8 am to 8 pm, so 12 hours.
 
“I'm quite a talkative person, and do a lot of drama, so being silent will be a challenge for me. I'm planning to carry a notebook and pen around so I can still communicate with my family.
 
"People in other countries are suffering a lot from climate change, and now from Covid-19, and I wanted to do something to help."
 
David Mum, Eona said: “I'm very proud of David for setting himself a challenge which we know he'll find tough, as even in lockdown he's regularly chatting with friends and family on social media.
 
“I'm also delighted that he's chosen to raise funds for Christian Aid, especially at this time of global pandemic and climate emergency. It's hard to imagine how people are coping with Covid-19 in refugee camps or other places where there's no clean water to wash your hands, let alone ventilators or adequate medical care. I know Christian Aid works really effectively with local partners to deliver support where it’s needed most.”
 
Christian Aid’s Regional Coordinator for Cambridgeshire, Pam Richardson said: “In times of crisis the poorest, most vulnerable and marginalised are at the greatest risk. We are seeing fantastic examples of coronavirus bringing people together, of neighbours across Cambridgeshire helping those who are vulnerable.
 
“Coronavirus impacts everyone, but love unites us all and David’s sponsored silence gives us a chance to help our global neighbours.
 
“Christian Aid Week cannot be a community celebration in the usual sense, where people come together for sales and Big Brekkies and special services and such like. But David shows us how community can still thrive in different ways.
 
“Christian Aid is currently responding to the crisis in 13 countries around the world for example in Myanmar where our local partners have distributed soap to over 30,000 people and distributed 2,000 surgical masks
 
 “Please support David if you can so we can help more vulnerable people protect themselves.”
 
You can support David by donating online at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/DavidMA-Bell
To find out other ideas about how to celebrate Christian Aid Week digitally - including a 300,000 steps in May challenge - visit caweek.org/virtualresources