Eight youngsters from Kenilworth aged 5 to 11-years-old have just completed a sponsored fast to raise money for local food banks

The children, Amelia Hunt, Leyton Hunt, Millie Lammas, Annalise Milburn, Samuel Beaman-Henderson, Jasper Nicholls, Seb Darch and Henry Wright, who are all pupils from Crackley Hall School in Kenilworth, set out to raise £100, but their thoughtful fundraiser has touched people's hearts, and has so far raised just over £2,000.

The idea for the sponsored fast came after the older children had reflected on empathy in RE lessons at school. Their empathy for local families and children who, through no fault of their own, might face a Christmas without food, led to the idea of a fast to raise funds for the food bank to help families in need have a Christmas dinner this year.

Between them, the children decided to fast for a day, and to go without food from 7.00am to 5.00pm. Their fast took place on Saturday 28 November, and having not eaten since the evening before, in the end the children managed a whole 22 hours without any food.

Amelia's younger brother Leyton, aged just 5-years-old, joined in the sponsored fast, planning to fast for five hours, but was so in inspired by his sister and her friends' actions that he went without food for the whole day as well.

Amelia explains, "It wasn't too difficult and we talked to each other during the day and that really helped, but I only realised quite how hungry I was when I finally had something to eat after we finished the fast at the end of the day."

It has been a valuable lesson for the children about the importance of empathy, as well as giving them an insight into the experience of children who face this situation in their daily lives.

So far, the fundraising fast has received donations of £1,770.44 and including gift aid the total raised is an amazing £2,125.69. The money is all being donated to The Trussell Trust, who support a network of food banks across the UK.