A young British schoolboy has raised more than ￡100,000（$160,000）on January 25 for Haiti's relief effort by cycling round his local park. Seven-year-old Charlie Simpson was so upset by the images of Haiti's deadly earthquake that he asked his mother if she could help him set up a sponsored bicycle ride around a west London park in Fulham.
英國一名小學生1月25日繞著當地公園騎單車，一口氣募得逾10萬英鎊（約16萬美元）為海地賑災。七歲的查理．辛普森對海地大地震後不斷傳來傷亡慘重的影像十分難過，他問媽媽，是否能幫他在倫敦西區富勒姆一個公園，發起騎單車贊助海地的行動。
Charlie originally hoped to raise ￡500（$800） for UNICEF's Haiti appeal with an 8-kilometer bike ride on January 24, but his Internet page was flooded with donations. Then as his story was picked up by TV stations money began to flood in. Within hours of Charlie climbing off his bike donations had reached ￡53,000 - in just 24 hours. Charlie's story was splashed on the front page of Britain's Daily Mirror newspaper on Jan. 25, and money is still flooding in.
查理原本只希望在1月24日騎8公里單車，能為聯合國兒童基金會「救助海地兒童行動」募得500英鎊 （約800美元），但他的網頁立刻湧入大量捐款。當電視台開始報導他的故事後，錢不斷湧入，單單24小時內，他就募得近5萬3000英鎊（約8萬5000美元）。英國每日鏡報 1月25日在頭版大幅報導查理的故事，使善款繼續如潮水般湧入。
“I want to make some money to buy food, water and tents for everyone in Haiti,” he said on his fundraising Web site JustGiving. As news of his touching effort spread, thousands of people donated cash to his appeal on an internet site. Mum Leonora said: “We cannot believe what he has managed to do. It just took off.”
「我想籌募一點錢，為海地人民買食物、水和帳篷，」他在他的募款網站JustGiving上說。隨著他感人的計畫透過媒體傳播，數以千計的人衝著他的呼籲上網捐錢。媽媽莉奧諾拉說：「他全力以赴，但我們不敢相信他能辦到，但它真的成功了。」
She added: “What started off as a little cycle round the park with his dad has turned into something a lot bigger than that and we can't believe it. He's done really well. He's worked hard and he's raised a phenomenal amount of money. He really felt strongly about this and thought that something had to be done. It was great to see him so motivated. I am extremely proud of our Charlie.”
她還說：「原本只不過是他和他爹繞著公園騎一段單車，結果竟有這麼大的成果，我們簡直不敢相信。他表現十分出色。他努力去做，結果募得驚人的善款。對海地震災，他真的感受強烈，並認為應該採取一些行動。看到他這麼積極，我真的很欣慰，也對我們小查理感到非常自豪。」
Leonora added: “He was really upset by the pictures on TV. He actually burst into tears. He sat on my lap and we had a chat about the things he could do. He decided to do the cycle ride and he made me do a sponsorship form for him and that was it. We sent it out on to the web and it just went everywhere.”
莉奧諾拉補充說：「他看到電視傳回來的畫面，真的很難過。事實上，他忍不住放聲大哭。他坐在我腿上，我們聊聊他可以出力做那些事。他決定騎單車，並請我幫他規畫贊助的形式，就是這樣。我們把它貼上網，它就開始四處流傳。」
Charlie said: “I just think it was quite sad when I saw the pictures on the TV.”
查理說：「看到電視畫面時，我只是覺得太悲慘了。」
Unicef's Michael Newsome said: “There's something quite special about a child in the UK reaching out to the children of Haiti. It's quite fabulous.”
聯合國兒童基金會的紐森說：「英國一個兒童向海地兒童伸出援手，這種行動蠻特別的。實在太感人了。」
The charity said the cash raised by Charlie would make a huge difference. It added: “He's helping to provide water to hundreds of thousands of people. We're all overwhelmed with the response to Charlie's bike ride. We've never had anyone raise ￡50,000 in one day.”
該慈善機構說，查理所募得的善款影響重大，並稱：「他幫助提供水給數十萬海地災民。查理騎自行車所引起的回應，我們十分感佩。從來沒有任何人在一天之內募得5萬英鎊。」
Most of the donations to Charlie's JustGiving page - which can be found at www.justgiving.com / CharlieSimpson -HAITI - were for ￡10 or ￡20, although some had given as much as ￡500. Charlie's grandparents were among the first to donate, giving ￡100. They said: “Well done Charlie we are proud of you, Nanna & Pops.” Dad Daniel also gave ￡100 and wrote: “Go on Charlie!!! I will be right by your side!!”
上查理JustGiving網頁www.justgiving.com/CharlieSimpson-HAITI捐款的大多數捐10英鎊或20英鎊，雖然也有些人捐了多達 500英鎊。率先捐款響應的包括查理的爺爺奶奶，他們捐了100英鎊。他們說：「幹得好，查理，我們為你感到驕傲，奶奶和爺爺。」爹地丹尼爾也捐了100英鎊，並寫道：「查理加油！我永遠站在你身邊！」
The messages from other donors showed how inspirational Charlie's efforts had been. One said: “People like you can change the world.” Another added: “Charlie, you're a little star. Thanks for making me put my hand in my pocket.”
其他捐助者的留言則顯示，查理這項行動有多麼鼓舞人心。其中一則說：「像你這種人可以改變世界。」另一個說：「查理，你是個小明星。感謝你讓我伸進口袋掏錢出來。」
The effort drew the attention of Prime Minister Gordon Brown, with his office Downing Street posting on Twitter: “Amazed by response to the great fundraising efforts of 7 yr old.” The prime minister has described Charlie Simpson who has raised more than ￡200,000 （$320,000）for earthquake victims in Haiti as “truly inspirational”. Brown said Charlie was a “shining example” of Britain's compassion for Haiti.
這項行動引起英國首相布朗注意，他位於唐寧街的辦公室在推特上貼文說：「7歲兒童偉大的募款行動所引起的回響十分驚人。」首相形容查理募得20多萬英鎊（32萬美元）善款，用來賑濟海地地震災民，「令人感到鼓舞」。布朗說，查理是英國同情和憐憫海地的「好榜樣」。
Brown was due to meet him on a visit to Downing Street but had to remain in Northern Ireland for devolution talks. His wife, Sarah, met Charlie instead. Charlie, who rode his bike into 10 Downing Street, said his legs were not “too achy” after his task. “It was very fun going to the prime minister's house and meeting Sarah Brown.” he said. He has raised more than ￡168,000 in donations from the public, but the total amount generated is more than ￡200,000 thanks to the government's Gift Aid scheme which is a tax relief on donations to charities.
布朗原本要在唐寧街接見查理，但他要留在北愛爾蘭進行權力下放會談。他的妻子莎拉，替他會見了查理。查理騎著單車到唐寧街10號，他表示，完成任務後，他的腿「不太疼」。「能到首相府和莎拉．布朗見面很好玩。」他說。他已經向民眾募得168,000英鎊，但拜政府Gift Aid慈善捐款免稅計畫之賜，總額已經超過 20萬英鎊。
Photo left shows Charlie waving during his 8-km bike ride around South Park, west London, Jan. 24. Photo right shows Sarah Brown （L）, wife of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, posing with Charlie outside 10 Downing Street in London, on January 27.
左圖顯示查理1月24日繞著倫敦西區南方公園騎8公里單車時向群眾揮手。右圖則為英國首相夫人莎拉．布朗（左），1月27日和查理在唐寧街10號外合影。（美聯社）