A nine-year-old Dublin schoolboy has raised more than €3,600 for homeless people after cycling nearly 260 km over 12 hours.
James Cunningham from Clontarf undertook the challenge of cycling the equivalent of six marathons earlier this month to raise funds for families without a home during the pandemic.
“I was worried about people who suffered from homelessness that they would be forgotten about during the coronavirus,” said James, who raised the money for the Peter McVerry Trust.
His father Keith says his son developed an interest in work supporting homeless people following a family trip to South Africa last year. "We visited a township outside Cape Town and the kids witnessed such poverty; it was a real jerk to their system. They had been talking about it since we got home and it sparked a conversation about homelessness in Ireland. "
James had recently asked his dad who would look after people without a home during the Covid-19 emergency. “When I scratched below the surface it was along the lines of what happens if they get the virus?” says Keith. “Questions like ‘could they die and people wouldn’t know anything about it?’”
A fan of cycling his whole life and an active member of Orwell Wheelers, James decided he would cycle 200km over two days using his dad's turbo trainer in the kitchen and set up a Justgiving page with a goal of raising €500 for the McVerry trust.
The 9-year-old cycled six hours his first day – broken into a four hour and then two hour stint – and another six hours the following day. He linked the bike up through the Strava app so people could track his progress and received hundreds of messages of support from friends, family and neighbours.
One small €20 donation to the Justgiving page, which was accompanied by a short message, was particularly memorable. “I got a message from a person who lived in a Peter McVerry shelter for 3½ years but they have a home now. They got in touch to say how proud they were of me.”
The young cyclist was treated to homemade protein bars by his older sister and a constant supply of drinks from his younger brother to get him through the long cycle. In fact, James got into such a routine that his mother had to convince him to stop cycling when he reached 256km, said his father.
“He wanted to get to 300km, his mum had to say it’s time to get off the bike. We’re every so proud of him. He’s shy but he’s a very thoughtful and kind kid. It’s been an amazing rollercoaster journey for him and even today we received a message from Peter McVerry to thank him for the support.”
James also feels proud of completing the cycle and the €3,607 he has raised to date and is already planning his next challenge. “It can really change their lives and that made me feel so proud.”
