WHEN ten-year-old Joshua Maloney decided to run a book sale to help raise money for Cancer Research, he never thought it would go as big as it did.
Joshua, from Wheatcrofts in Barnsley, was inspired to run the event after news that his grandma had breast cancer hit him particularly hard.
With the support of his school Shawlands Primary, he ran a book sale and collected donations to the tune of £450.
And his efforts have seen him shortlisted for a Young Champions Award in the Young Fundraiser category.
His grandma Lynn, who has now had successful surgery to treat the cancer and is undergoing preventative radiotherapy, said: “It has really taken on a life of its own. I have done fundraising in the past and I am doing some now still so I think that inspired him to want to help out.
“But he is a bright boy and knew the money he raised wasn’t going to help me but it would help people in the future.
“I just thought if he raised £20, I would have been pleased for him. But he is such an easygoing lad everybody wanted to help. He is an amazing little boy and still helping me out now to set up my events, not in any major way but getting involved.
“I was dumbfounded to find out he had been nominated but immensely proud of him - he deals with it all in such a laidback way, no bragging about it.
“In his thank you letter from Cancer Research it states what the money will be used for and that made it easier for him to understand how he had helped.
“And he helps keep me on my toes and from getting too down.”
