10-year-old runner Anthony set for a hero’s welcome after raising £20,000 for Zoe’s Place

There’ll be ribbons and rapturous applause for Liverpool schoolboy Anthony Demell week tomorrow when he pushes little sister Amelia over the finishing line at Zoe’s Place.

It will be the final stretch for the determined 10-year-old who set out to conquer 48 miles with 20 runs in aid of Zoe’s Place.

And it will celebrate the youngster having raised £20,000 to help try to save the special city hospice his family has hailed as their ‘lifeline’.

Among those cheering Anthony on will be his mum Faye Maguire, who says:

“I am so proud of Anthony and what he’s done.

“He’s been out in sleet, rain and sunshine and just got on with it because he was totally conscious of what he was running for. And he loved it.”

“I can’t lie, I’ll probably cry when he goes across that finishing line with Amelia tomorrow.

“But I just hope we get the biggest crowd to welcome him back to Zoe’s Place on his final leg, and congratulate him and what he’s done.  He’s amazing.” 

Anthony, who’s a pupil at St John Fisher School in Knowsley Village, set out on his marathon quest on Thursday, October 10, supported by UFC fighters ‘Meatball’ Molly McCann, who’s a family friend, and Paddy (the Baddy) Pimblett, who are also expected to be there tomorrow.

Since then, he has quietly focused on achieving run after run to complete his marathon task – apart from the weekend when the young Blue ran around Goodison!

Anthony’s sister Amelia, nine, has cerebral palsy, scoliosis and epilepsy, leaving her unable to walk or talk and he and mum Faye, who is a full-time carer for Amelia, regard Zoe’s Place as a lifeline.  

Faye explains:

“Zoe’s Place has helped us a lot as a family.

“When Amelia was a baby she used to stay there.

“We were told when she was eight months old that she’d have passed away by 12 months and we were referred to Zoe’s Place not knowing what to expect.  I told them how I was scared she was going to die in her sleep, but they got me through it.

“And they are still there for us now.

“When I told Anthony Zoe’s Place was closing he asked what he could do.  He said he’d raised funds before and he could do it again.

“And, even knowing how much they had to raise, that they needed to get £5 million, he said ‘we’ll get it mum.  Liverpool will do it’.

“He’s just put that Zoe’s Place top on and done it, and said if he could make a difference and do good, that was why he was doing it. He was determined.”

“We were told again last year that Amelia would only live until eight, and I keep ignoring them – and so does she!

“She has defeated all the odds.

“I have two lovely kids, I’m very lucky.

“I had no doubts Anthony would do the 48-mile run.  His fitness levels are good – he’s British, European and World Champion MMA fighter for his age – but even so I am so proud of him.  He makes me cry every time I look at him.

“We would have been lost without Zoe’s Place and that’s why it has to be saved. There’s no-one else who does what they do.”

Zoe’s Place say tomorrow will be about celebrating Anthony and his daily runs in honour of his sister, and to encourage a final fundraising push from the community to get Zoe’s Place funds over their finishing line to help rebuild it and secure its future.

It is currently closing, they say, the last 15% of their £5 million funding gap, and ‘every contribution makes a difference to help us reach our £6.4 million target’.

Matt Meaney, head of fundraising for Zoe’s Pace Liverpool, says:

“Anthony has been absolutely incredible. He has been so dedicated to his fundraising and his regular visits have been a real highlight for the team.

“He’s raised an astonishing amount of money and everyone at Zoe’s Place is so grateful for his support.”

Zoe’s Place mascot, Zoe Bear, will be among the crowd waiting to cheer Anthony along.

Find more information about Zoe’s Place here.

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