Archie, 8, taking on bike ride for children’s mental health charity after 100-mile walk raised over £500 last year

An eight-year-old boy from Peterborough is taking on a 7.5 mile bike ride next month to raise money for a charity supporting the mental health of young people.

Archie Schulze, from Thorney, has been training with his grandad in preparation for his charity bike ride at Ferry Meadows, in Nene Park, on October 28.

Archie will be raising money for YoungMinds – a charity he previously raised £545 by walking 100 miles alongside his mum, Jemma Schulze, 26, during the pandemic in February last year.

"We made a kindness jar that year and the idea was that each month we would pick something out and spread a bit of kindness,” Jemma said.

“February’s was to do something for charity. Being an only child in a single-parent household during the pandemic was a struggle for Archie because we only had each other.

"He found being separated from his friends quite challenging as well. We came across YoungMinds and he said that was the charity he wanted to do it for."

YoungMinds is the UK’s leading charity supporting children and young people with their mental health.

"He wants to continue to raise money for such an incredible charity,” Jemma, who will be accompanying Archie on his bike ride, said.

"He’s quite a sensitive boy and he himself felt the emotions of lockdown. It’s a way for him to acknowledge that children can still get overwhelmed with stress and anxiety just as adults can, and I think it’s a way for him to express those emotions.

"He’s a kind boy and he’s always looking for ways to help people. We saw that there was a shorter route, but he wanted to push himself to do something longer.”

Jemma said that as a mum it was “wonderful” to spend time with her son while completing his 100 mile walk charity challenge during the pandemic.

"We got to have some really nice chats,” she said. “To have that one-on-one time with no distractions just the two of us – to take in the beauty of the world, even though it was a bit ugly at the time – was probably my highlight of the pandemic.”

Archie has raised over £100 so far for his most recent challenge. You can donate to his JustGiving page.