Acorns Inspirations

Benoît Deakin-Woods

Age:10

Home town: Worcester, UK

Benoît Deakin-Woods

Runner, fundraiser and a true Acorns Inspiration

In the first of my Acorns Inspirations interviews, I was delighted to meet a truly remarkable and inspiring young man. Benoît Deakin-Woods is just like any other 10 year old boy. He loves football, is an avid Wolverhampton Wanderers fan ('The first football word I ever heard - my Dad grew up there'), loves to play football too (a creative goal scorer and provider of many assists), but also happy exercising his thumbs on video games.

But Benoît is not just like any other 10 year old. Benoît is someone with an incredible drive, energy and a passion to do good. To help others, to try to improve the lives of children who are not as fortunate, those children who have life limiting conditions, severe disabilities and illnesses. The children Benoît learnt about from his Mum and Dad when they drove past Acorns for the Three Counties in Worcester. Upon learning about Acorns and the incredible work they do, Benoît decided He wanted to help. He wanted to make a difference. And he did just that.

In March 2021, Benoît decided to lace up his trainers and run to raise money for Acorns. Not just one run. But during the month of March Benoît, accompanied by his Dad, completed 40 miles of running. A quite incredible effort by someone of his age. He set out to raise £100 for Acorns Children's Hospice. But his exploits caught the imagination of the Acorns community and beyond. The donations poured in and are currently at £1,205. Adding Gift Aid takes the total to almost £1,600. On the final day of the challenge, Benoît was dumbstruck as his Dad played a video message of congratulations from Wolverhampton Wanderers and England defender, Conor Coady.

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I met Benoît and his family, Dad Simon, Mum Alexandre and his 5 year old sister Anaé at Worcester Woods Countrysde Centre on a beautifully warm summer's afternoon. We spent a pleasant 40 minutes walking through the woods, with Anaé racing ahead, pointing out squirrels and explaining the big hole in the base of a tree was where the badger lived. We took a few photos, Benoît proving he was much quicker than my camera...We chatted all things running and cycling and fundraising, enjoying the strange experience of actually meeting someone socially outside for a walk - something so sorely missed this last year or more. While Anaé and her Mum went off to the children's play area, I sat down with Benoît and his Dad for an interview.

Speedy Gonzalez, Benoît Deakin-Woods

L-R Simon Deakin-Woods, Benoît Deakin-Woods, Tony Frobisher

The following is a transcript of the interview.

(B) Benoît (T) Tony

(T) So, Benoît , why did you want to get involved and fundraise for Acorn's Children's Hospice?

(B) I realised how blessed I am to have what I have. And I realised that some children don’t have what I have and I just thought that I wanted to feel compassionate for them ... I thought I wanted to do something for them so I decided I would fundraise and try to do something so they could get more things

(T) How did you hear about Acorns?

(B) Well it’s just... you know when you drive past it and my Mum and Dad would say oh look there’s Acorns, you know you just kind of saw it

(T) So you were curious as to what it was and what they did there?

(B) Yes

(T) Can you tell me a little bit about the fundraising event you did and how you came up with the ideas and do you know how much money you’ve raised so far?

(B) Well, my Dad inspired me because he did a run for Bone Cancer Research Trust and also I've got a friend called Manny and he does loads of things for charity and I kind of thought I should do something…I thought I’ll do a run…because on my Dad’s last runs I accompanied him on some of them. I decided if I fundraised for Acorns I would do a run and try and get to 40 miles in March

(T) Why 40 miles why not 5 miles or 10 miles?

(B) I wanted to push myself…I wanted to push myself to the limit

(T) Have you got an idea how much money you’ve raised?

(B) The last I heard I’d raised about £1,000 (Ed. Actually currently at £1,205) + £160 gift aid)

(T) What was the most interesting or satisfying part of the fundraising and the challenge? What did you enjoy most?

(B) Er, I love the running part but I also loved when I finished it – I loved to think about the looks on the children’s faces, when they realised they’ll get something and I thought that would be a really brilliant thing

(T) Was there anything difficult or frustrating you found about it?

(B) Well. Of course you get really tired, but I thought why should I feel frustrated or angry when all of this hard work and determination is going towards children with disabilities being really happy.

(T) Did you run every day in March or every other day?

(B) I’d have a break day. It was kind of 3 days a week, 4 days a week

(T) And how long did you run for, either miles or time?

(B) At first I just started off running 1 mile, but it got higher and higher and gradually I got my highest mileage, which was I think was 6.5 miles

(T) Thinking about the challenge what did you enjoy most - was it planning the challenge, raising the money, doing the challenge or that feeling after, when you can relax, it’s a job well done?

(B) I think..the running…because when I was doing it I could think about what I was doing and how it would help people.

(T) Are you thinking of any more fundraising challenges or events. If so, what?

(B) Well, I’d quite like to do another running one and I’m looking towards getting a bike, so as it’s a bike I might be able to a riding challenge, so I’d like to do 100 miles in a month.

(T) Is there a challenge you’d like to do? …If you had the choice of doing any challenge, maybe now or when you are a bit older?

(B) To be honest, I’d quite like to skydive.

At this point I asked Simon whether he was aware of this...No, he wasn't!)

(T) Who inspires, motivates and encourages you to keep going and who makes a difference to you when things get a bit tough?

(B) I think the first one is my Mum, she helped plan it all and she helped me think what I could do and second one probably my Dad because he’s the one who always accompanies me on my runs. He always pushed me to my limit and was always kind for what I was doing.

(T) And were there times when during the longer runs you thought, 'oh this is quite hard'…you know, maybe you were quite tired after a day at school or the weather wasn’t so good?

(B) Always! There’s always that point when you are trying to challenge yourself and you feel like, why do I do this…but when you end it, you suddenly realise why.

(T) What’s your message to other people who would like to get involved in fundraising but haven’t done so, for any number of reasons?

(B) Er, I think, find what suits them best…what kind of sport they prefer…it could be running swimming cycling stuff like that and er

(T) Or it could be something like baking couldn't it or er, knitting

(B) But er, once they’ve done that, just persevere, keep going and try to find your comfort in doing the challenge

(T) Do what you know, what you enjoy

(T) Benoît you are making and have made a huge difference to so many children and their families, you are an inspiration to everybody, so we would like on behalf of Acorns to thank you for all that you’ve done, but who would you like to say thank you to?

(B) I would like to say thank you to all of the Acorns workers, because they are the ones that keep these children, er you know comforted and they help them and make friends with them throughout their time, they have done a lot of things that have helped other children and I think they deserve the credit most.

Following the main interview questions we did a Quick Fire round of questions, to get to know Benoît a little more.....

Hobbies and Interests – Playing football (up front), video games

Which football team do you support? - Wolverhampton Wanderers, I've been to Molineux many times

Food / Dish – Pizza Pasta / Salted caramel ice cream

Music – I like rock music – Dire Straits, I don’t really listen to the ones that are the latest kind of bands , I usually listen to the ones that aren’t bands anymore like Michael Jackson or Elvis Presley

Holiday or somewhere you’d like to go – I’d like to visit my cousins in Korea, my uncle is in the US Airforce.

Favourite place in the UK? No answer...but we probably settled on Molineux

Who would you most like to meet for a cup of tea and a slice of cake? Cristiano Ronaldo

Favourite book, film, TV programme– James Bond, Goldeneye

Running, walking, cycling, swimming or something else? – cycling, I like it energetic, like to be on wheels!

What do your friends think about your fundraising? They were happy, I showed them the videos and Connor Coady and they clapped me on my back.

So, Benoît Thank you so much for your time and for talking to me about your amazing support and fundraising for Acorns Children's Hospice. It is people like you who are the lifeblood of Acorns. Without your incredible fundraising, Acorns would not be able to continue as it does, helping so many life limited children and their families across the West Midlands.

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I wish Benoît every success for his next challenge. And if we had more people like Benoît in the world, it would be a much kinder, better place. A selfless, generous, kind and very enthusiastic young man who is making an incredible difference to the quality of life for life limited children and their families across the West Midlands, who are reliant on Acorns Children's Hospice.

Tony Frobisher

Parent Carer Champion

Acorns Children's Hospice

To donate to Benoît's Justgiving page:

www.justgiving.com/fundraising/bdw40milerun

To learn more about Acorns Children's Hospice:

Tony's Charity Inspirations

Thursday 24 June 2021