Hugs from Hugo raises over £2,000 for charity Honeypot

A LITTLE boy who launched his own clothing brand to raise money for charity ended up collecting over £2,000.

Walhampton School pupil Hugo Carpenter (5) set up his own online store selling T-shirts, hoodies and babygros featuring his own artwork.

He had asked his mother if he could help raise money for the Honeypot children’s charity.

He was inspired after his headmaster challenged pupils to think of ways they could help other people “be happy” during the pandemic.

Hugo, who loves hugs, was helped by his mother Erika to set up Threads by Hugs on online retail platform Myshopify which ran from February until the end of June raising £2,144.

Hugo, who lives in Bartley, was “very pleased” to have collected so much money.

He said: “It was a fun thing to do and meant I could help other children.”

Erika said she was she was “very, very proud” of her son.

She added: “When we were first thinking of things he could do to raise money for charity, Hugo said he didn’t know what to do because he ‘wasn’t good at anything’.

“Well, the reaction to his clothing line certainly proved him wrong.

“It’s been a very exciting project for both him and us, his parents.”

Every year the Honeypot charity, which is based near Exbury in the New Forest, provides respite breaks for about 2,500 young carers aged 5-12.

Hugo said he chose it because the charity had given a talk last year at his school near Lymington.

Erika said Hugo is already thinking of other ways he can raise money for charity.

She said: “He wants to run a lemonade stand amongst other things.

“Hugo is a very caring, loving little boy.”