Halifax boy inspired by his brave friend runs 150km in a month

Raees Ahmed ran 5km a day for 30 days last month to collect money for Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.

The nine-year-old, who is a pupil at Savile Park Primary School, was motivated by his friend Lewis Connett, who he met while training at Copley Cricket Club.

The pair bonded over their love of cricket and became firm friends.

But after making his debut for Copley’s Under-9s team, eight-year-old Lewis had to undergo surgery on his arm, cutting his season short.

Lewis, who goes to All Saints’ Junior and Infants School, was born with rare genetic condition Apert Syndrome and has been under the care of Alder Hey Children’s Hospital since birth. He has had numerous surgeries throughout his life so far and his family have raised thousands of pounds for the hospital.

Inspired by Lewis’s attitude towards the surgery and the fact that he taught himself to use a cricket bat one-handed so that he and Raees could continue to play together, Raees decided he wanted to raise money for the hospital that has been caring for his friend.

Raees’s mum Debbie Pettiford said: “I suggested that we could run 5km a day for 30 days in August and explained that we could do most of the runs from our house on Savile Park, via the canal at Salterhebble to Copley Cricket Club. We found a route that took us past Lewis’s house and was exactly 5km.

“In the words of Lewis’s dad, John Connett, ‘Where there’s a Lewis, there’s a way!’. This has become our mantra and on days where Raees was struggling to complete his 5km, I would say these words and it motivated him to carry on.”

She said Raees did find the challenge tough at times, especially on days when he was at cricket training during the day, playing a match in the evening and then had to set off on his 5km, but he has smashed his £500 target, raising over £800 so far.

Lewis’s mum, Donna Connett, said: “Lewis is a very determined young boy, He is back playing cricket at The Cricket Asylum over the winter on a programme called Cricket Buds. He loves everything about cricket.

“Raees and Lewis have developed a wonderful friendship and Raees is always making sure Lewis is included and involved in everything.

“What Raees took on is not an easy challenge for an adult, let alone a young boy. He has made us feel very proud and we are so happy he and Lewis are friends.”

To donate to Raees’s fundraising, visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/raees5k.