Market Deeping six-year-old smashes cancer fundraising target

A six-year-old boy from Market Deeping who is fundraising for a cancer charity has already exceeded his original target.

Dylan Almond has become a familiar sight around the town since he decided to roller-blade a whopping 100 miles before the end of August.

Dylan’s mum Laura told the Peterborough Telegraph how her energetic first son got involved with the challenge:

“One of my cousins has had cancer recently so it’s kind of been on our minds quite a bit,” she explained.

“Then we saw a challenge come through on social media for Cancer Research.”

That challenge was the Wheel 100 Miles in August 2023 Challenge.

Laura thought Dylan – who wanted to help the fight against cancer – would be up for the challenge as, being a junior member of the Peterborough Phantoms Ice Hockey team, he is “pretty good on his ice skates.”

“We thought he might be quite good on roller blades,” she added, “so he signed up for the challenge.”

After setting up his donations page and receiving his immediately recognisable Cancer Research T-shirt in the post, Dylan got down to business, “going out and about” with his dad to cover three or four miles on his skates each day.

Laura explained that Dylan’s fundraising target was set at £100 because “it’s hard times for everyone at the moment.”

However, that amount was soon dwarfed when the six-year-old’s ever-growing army of well-wishers advised Laura to advertise his efforts on The Deepings’ local Facebook page.

“We had so many people commenting on the post and loads of them then went on to sponsor him.”

“He’s on about £620 now.”

Laura said she has been truly touched by the “lovely” response Dylan has received from people in Market Deeping.

“It just feels like the community is coming together.”

“There’s people bibbing their horns and waving at him and saying ‘We know what you’re doing; well done’.”

“A couple have offered to buy him new equipment,” she said, “and people keep asking for his route so that they can come out and wave.”

“It’s definitely gone bigger than I thought it would.”