A British boy who raised nearly GBP 100,000 for charity in honour of his mother who died of breast cancer last year has been offered a dream holiday to the UAE to watch the F1 Grand Prix.
Wannabe pilot Jacob Newson, 8, will visit the United Arab Emirates to watch next month’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as well as take part in a flight simulator.
The British lad raised nearly GBP 100,000 for UK charities in honour of his mum Andrea, who succumbed to breast cancer on 27th December 2020.
To raise funds, Jacob and his dad climbed Britain’s highest mountain Ben Nevis as well as completing the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge.
The trip to the UAE was arranged by Donna Coulston-Smith, a friend of Jacob’s mum, who contacted Etihad Airways to organise a possible reward for the boy’s fundraising efforts.
The airline reached out to ‘Jacob the Pilot’ earlier this week on Twitter to offer him the chance of travelling to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
His father Andy said: “Donna mentioned to me quite a while ago that she had been contacting Etihad and Yas Marina to try and get Jacob as a treat to come out to the Grand Prix.
“I didn’t say anything to Jacob because I thought it was a bit optimistic to try.”
He said “Etihad tweeted they were going to fly us out to Abu Dhabi, which is amazing”, adding that the airline has organised the all-expenses-paid holiday for both of them to travel.
He continued: “She was an amazing woman, but more so an amazing mother for Jacob. She had two life goals. One was a family and one was to get married. We got married three months before she passed away.”
After her cancer diagnosis in 2019, the father and son set about raising funds for charity, collecting GBP 55,000 for a local hospice that took care of Andrea and GBP 45,000 for the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund that helps RAF personnel, veterans, and their families.
As the holiday will happen days before the anniversary of Andrea’s death, Andy said: “It will be a great distraction and a chance to make more amazing memories.”
The trip will also include the chance for the wannabe pilot to experience a flight simulator.
Etihad Airways official Captain Jihad Matta said: “Etihad decided to surprise Jacob and his father with a trip to Abu Dhabi during the Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix this December.
“The national airline also hopes to give him a flying lesson in one of our training simulators where pilots from all over the world come to train. His story has touched the hearts of the Etihad family and we’re looking forward to meeting Jacob, a little boy who loves flying as much as we do.”
