A TEN-YEAR-OLD schoolgirl proved that silence is golden when she raised nearly £200 for charity without saying a word.

Proving that actions speaks louder than words, Altrincham schoolgirl Ella spent an entire day in complete silence to raise money for Greater Manchester sight loss charity Henshaws.

Ella was inspired to go quiet (no mean feat for a ten-year-old) to raise money for the charity that supported her family after her mum underwent a series of treatments for a rare eye condition at Manchester Royal Eye Hospital and Altrincham Hospital last year.

Ella raised a total of £189 for Henshaws by spending all 24 hours of Wednesday, April 25 with her lips sealed, fighting the temptation to talk to friends and family.

Ella said: “My mum was helped by Henshaws when she had five eye operations last year. I did it to repay Henshaws for all that they have done. Even when I really wanted to talk, I just told myself it was all for Henshaws.”

Henshaws works with people of all ages living with sight loss across Greater Manchester. It aims to empower them to take steps to change their lives for the better and gain independence.

This includes a Patient Support service which they provide at Manchester Royal Eye Hospital and Altrincham Hospital with specially trained Patient Support Officers providing people with emotional and practical support from the moment they are diagnosed with a visual impairment.

Shona Boyle, Henshaws Community Fundraiser, said: “Ella showed so much self-control and concentration to keep silent the whole day!

"Everyone at Henshaws is incredibly grateful for the effort that she put in and for the amazing amount that she raised.

"The support services we provide across Greater Manchester rely on fundraising efforts from people like her. Whether it’s sponsored silences or running marathons, we want to get as many people as possible supporting the services we provide and becoming part of Team Henshaws!”