Six-year-old boy raises thousands ahead of 30 mile charity walk through Kent

Jacob Newson
Jacob Newson will walk 30 miles to raise money for the RAF Benevolent Fund

A six-year-old boy has raised over £18,000 ahead of a two day, thirty mile walk through Kent.

Starting at RAF Manston in Ramsgate he will then walk to the Battle of Britain Memorial in Folkestone, Kent, to raise money for the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund.

Jacob has previously completed challenges for the RAF Benevolent Fund, climbing Pen-y-ghent in Yorkshire last year.<

Jacob will complete the challenge alongside his dad on October the 31st which is his seventh birthday and the day the Battle of Britain ended 80 years ago.

The walk was originally intended to be from Belgium to Dunkirk in France, however with Coronavirus travel restrictions in place the route had to be postponed until next year.

It's not the first time Jacob has raised money for the RAF Benevolent Fund after he climbed Pen-y-ghent in Yorkshire last year. Following this Jacob was invited to meet his heroes which had a lasting impact upon him.

The combined total of his fundraising exploits so far come to just under £25,000. "He knows he's raised a lot of money but at six years old he doesn't know the value or context of it", Jacob's father Andy says.

Jacob Newson will be wearing his signature RAF Flying Suit on the walk

To support Jacob's challenge and to see donations to the RAF Benevolent Fund, visit: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Andrew-Newson2