The fundraising efforts of a Nuneaton teenager are having a positive impact on children thousands of miles away.

Michael Glover Jnr is an avid supporter of Mary’s Meals, the charity which serves nutritious school meals to children living in some of the world’s poorest countries.

The 13-year-old, who attends St Thomas More Catholic Academy in Nuneaton and is an altar server at St Anne’s and St Joseph’s parish, started fundraising for the charity aged 11, after he saw a video about Mary’s Meals.

To date his fundraising efforts have included: craft fairs, a table top sale after Sunday morning Mass, cake sales, sponsored 20-mile walk over the Shropshire Hills, 100km in a month sponsored walk, teenage market, graffiti art and raffles - you name he's done it! 

Michael’s Grandma, Linda Glover, shares that: “Another local school, Michael Drayton Junior, were inspired by him and so the headteacher, Diane Compton-Belcher, got the children from her school to help raise money for Michael's cause. 

“On his own Michael has raised £4,704.70 (about 248 children fed for a whole school year) and Michael Drayton Junior School raised £3,858.98 (about 200 children fed too) to add to his total. One class alone raised £1,000! Making a grand total of £8,563.68. 

“Their cheque was recently handed over to Michael at St Anne’s. We're so proud of him.”

Diane Compton-Belcher said: “We have had the incredible privilege of handing over our Mary’s Meals cheque at St Anne’s Church, joined by a couple of our amazing pupils.

“The inspiration behind this journey? A remarkable local teenager, Michael, who has raised over £4,000 single-handedly for Mary’s Meals over the past 18 months. Inspired by his story, our pupils embraced the challenge with open hearts and determined minds.

“With just six weeks of fundraising, the generosity and effort of our pupils, staff, and local community have been nothing short of astounding.

“We aimed to raise £383 to feed 20 children. But in true Michael Drayton Junior School style, we went 10 times bigger...Together, we've raised an incredible £3,858.98!  That’s enough to feed 200 children for an entire academic year!

“We are beyond proud of everyone involved. What a phenomenal achievement - thank you to all who supported us! “

In his response Michael said: “Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I am bowled over with the amount raised. I'm touched that the children from Michael Drayton Junior School took inspiration from my unending work to raise money for Mary's Meals.

“I watched a video about Mary’s Meals and felt it was my duty as a child to help children who were like me with hopes and dreams. But my hopes and dreams were different to theirs. Their hopes were to have food to stay alive, to be able to go to school and learn and to change their world. We can do this together. If we could put Nuneaton schools on the map for Mary's Meals fundraising it would be absolutely incredible.”

Hannah Moore, Supporter Engagement Officer for Mary’s Meals, said: “We are so proud of Michael’s remarkable achievements in just two years! Not only has he raised an incredible amount of money himself, but he has now also inspired other young people to do the same. It’s wonderful to think of the hundreds of children across the world who will now receive a meal a day for a whole school year because of the efforts of these brilliant children from the West Midlands.”

Photograph: Michael pictured with staff from Michael Drayton Junior School.

Find out more about Mary’s Meals