{"alias":"blogEntry","byline":"Written by Nicola Hilliard, Creative Content Producer","standfirst":"","content":{"layouts":[{"type":"fullWidth","areas":[{"items":[{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp\u003ENeo was only 8 years old when he set up Treats For Kids in 2020, after realising that young people were going through a tough time in the pandemic. Now 10 years old, Neo\u2019s donated over 10,000 treats to young people in Essex and East London in the past two years.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWe caught up with him to find out more.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"gtmId","gtmClass":"gtmClass","image":"/media/19089/image1min.jpeg","width":2016,"height":1512,"altText":"Neo is stood in front of lots of Easter eggs, and he is smiling. They are behind him on tables.","caption":"","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhy did you decide to set up Treats For Kids?\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI decided to set up Treats For Kids at the end of 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. I realised there were so many young people going through a tough time, both due to the pandemic and other reasons. I wanted to help and put a smile on their faces. I love treats and believe that all young people deserve, no matter what their circumstances are.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat do Treats for Kids do?\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI\u2019ve set up lots of different fundraising appeals with Treats For Kids. I\u2019ve donated nearly 8,000 treats to young people through 12 different charities and organisations, including food banks, hospitals and hospices. Some of the treats we\u2019ve appealed for and given out include advent calendars and Easter eggs.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat have enjoyed doing the most since you started?\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI love seeing the young people\u0027s smiling faces when I\u2019ve given them treats. I\u2019ve also really enjoyed learning how to put together my own website, write blogs and make videos to keep everyone updated about Treats For Kids.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"gtmId","gtmClass":"gtmClass","image":"/media/19091/image3min.jpeg","width":2016,"height":1512,"altText":"Neo is stood on the driveway with a teddy bear mascot with lots of advent calendars that have been donated.","caption":"","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHave there been any challenges along the way?\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen running an appeal, you\u2019re never sure if people will still donate, especially when times are hard for so many. I\u2019m always amazed at how generous and supportive people are, especially strangers. Sometimes it\u0027s hard finding the treats in my local supermarket if their stock is low, and it can be tricky to run Treats For Kids alongside schoolwork, Scouts and other activities. However, I always manage to find time to continue running it!\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDid you ever want to give up and what made you keep going?\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI\u2019ve never wanted to give up, but I have lots of ideas for Treats For Kids that I\u2019ve not been able to do yet. My family are very supportive, and they\u2019ve all helped me keep going. My Scout group have been so encouraging too, especially my Cub leader, Phil. He always helps with my appeals and shares the details with parents, carers and young people, who\u2019ve then donated.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHas anything you learned from Scouts helped you with setting up and\u00A0\u003C/strong\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Erunning Treats for Kids?\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI think Scouts is about being a good, helpful and kind person. With Treats For Kids, I\u2019m doing a little bit to help others and hopefully making a difference.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"gtmId","gtmClass":"gtmClass","image":"/media/19087/bro-jain-naha-7681_mmp-191616min.jpg","width":4912,"height":7360,"altText":"Neo is stood next to Bear Grylls and holding his Unsung Heroes certificate. They\u0027re both smiling. Bear is wearing a necker. Neo is wearing his Cubs uniform.","caption":"","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat are you proudest of?\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI\u2019m proud that I\u2019ve been able to give over 10,000 treats to young people, who might not have got them if it wasn\u0027t for Treats For Kids.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat\u2019s next for Treats for Kids?\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI\u2019ve just set up my \u003Ca href=\u0022http://www.treatsforkids.co.uk/\u0022\u003ETreats For Kids website\u003C/a\u003E, and I\u2019m excited to have just finished my third Advent Calendar Appeal for 2022. I\u2019m now amazed to have reached 10,000 treats, too!\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFinally, what\u2019s your favourite treat to tuck into?\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMy favourite treat is Lindt Chocolate!\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u00A0\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBrilliant work, Neo! Well done on all you\u2019ve achieved, including winning the Chief Scout\u0027s Unsung Heroes award in 2022. Your fantastic work\u0027s truly inspiring, and we hope you\u0027ve time to tuck into some tasty treats soon, too.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""}]}],"config":null}]},"searchDescription":null,"pageType":null,"location":null,"versionDate":"21 November 2022","reviewDate":null,"furtherReading":[{"caption":"","title":"Unsung Heroes 2022","url":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/news/2022/september/bear-congratulates-his-unsung-heroes-at-birmingham-awards-day/","newWindow":true},{"caption":"","title":"Awards and Recognition in Scouts","url":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/learning-development-and-awards/awards-and-recognition/","newWindow":true}],"relatedLinks":[{"caption":"","title":"Volunteer with Scouts","url":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteer/volunteering-with-scouts/","newWindow":true},{"caption":"","title":"Helping a local food bank with Scouts","url":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/food-matters/","newWindow":true},{"caption":"","title":"Scouts Community Impact badge","url":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/staged-badges/community-impact/community-impact-stage-1/","newWindow":true}],"id":39488,"nodeName":"Meet Neo and his Treats For Kids campaign","title":"Meet Neo and his Treats For Kids campaign","type":"blogEntry","image":{"url":"/media/19089/image1min.jpeg?cc=0,0.11851851851851852,0,0.13148148148148148\u0026width=800\u0026height=450\u0026v=1dab80c874e60b0","caption":"Image1.Min","type":"jpeg","size":468725,"width":2016,"height":1512,"altText":"Neo is stood in front of lots of Easter eggs, and he is smiling. They are behind him on tables."},"assets":null,"headerOptions":{"headerTitle":"Meet Neo and his Treats For Kids campaign","headerSubTitle":null,"headerCta":null,"headerCtaText":null,"headerCtaLink":null,"headerBackgroundColour":null,"showSEOImage":false,"headerBackgroundImage":null,"quickLinks":null},"subHeader":"Neo\u2019s donated nearly 8,000 treats to young people in Essex and East London in the past two years.  We caught up with him to find out more.","browserTitle":null,"silktide":"eyJjbXMiOiJVbWJyYWNvIiwiZWRpdG9yVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9wcm9kLWNtcy5zY291dHMub3JnLnVrLy91bWJyYWNvIy9jb250ZW50L2NvbnRlbnQvZWRpdC8zOTQ4OCJ9","canonicalUrl":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/news/2022/november/meet-neo-and-his-treats-for-kids-campaign/"}