Notre Dame pupil's sweet charity idea to raise money for charity

Teenager Amy Shearer has somehow managed to persuade people they don’t want their selection boxes and melt-in-the-mouth treats leftover from Christmas.

Instead they have handed them over to the Notre Dame pupil so that she can raise lots more cash for charity Inverclyde Dreams Come True, which helps seriously ill children.

It’s the third year in a row Amy has pulled off the sweet sale — and brings her charity fundraising total to more than £6,000.

Amy, from Wemyss Bay, said: “It is bigger this year than ever before.

“I can’t believe the response I am getting from people who are donating chocolate.

“All my family and friends are helping and it has been like a conveyor belt in our house just now getting all the chocolates and sweets ready to sell.” Tele columnist Amy, who was nominated for a local hero award last year, has devoted the last two years to volunteering and fundraising.

She has raised cash for Inverclyde Dreams Come True, The Friends Forever Club in Greenock and the Eileen McCallum Trust, which helps people with muscular dystrophy.

The kind-hearted youngster even asked for donations instead of gifts for her 16th birthday last year.

Amy said: “I think it is really important that young people reach out to other young people. That is why I wanted to do something to help Dreams Come True.” Young volunteer Amy is also passionate about helping out at the Friends Forever club in Greenock, which helps children with disabilities.

She added: “I love it.

“It is so important that we learn to see past people’s disabilities. It is about breaking down barriers.” In between volunteering and fundraising, Amy is also busy studying for Highers in English, maths, computing, biology and history.

She added: “I would like to go on to do additional support teaching.

“But since starting to write my column with the Greenock Telegraph I have also caught the writing bug.” l Amy will start selling her chocolate at Notre Dame High School from today.