Cleo Cowles, from Wilsden, decided to attempt a sponsored read-a-thon after spotting a blue and yellow flag flying.

She said: “I asked my mummy what it was, and she told me there was a big fight and we could raise money to help people.”

Six-year-old Cleo decided to use her love of reading to help the humanitarian cause, and aimed to read 23 books over four days. She fit the reading around going to school and ended her challenge on an impressive total of 30 books.

Cleo aimed to read 23 books for her challenge, but ended on a total of 30

The Harden Primary School pupil originally aimed to raise £100, but her fundraising total has now reached £820.

She said: “I read the books at home, in the car and outside in the garden. I didn’t expect to raise as much money as I did. I’ve had lots of nice cards and messages.

“My daddy made me a chart to help me and every time I read another book I put a sticker on my chart.”

The money raised will go to the Life Church Ukrainian Crisis Fund, which helps to provide practical help to refugees arriving in Poland, through the church’s Warsaw congregation and other organisations in the area.

Cleo saw a blue and yellow Ukrainian flag flying and decided to help the humanitarian cause

Church members are helping to drive supplies over the border and providing backpacks filled with essentials to children arriving at train stations.

Cleo’s mum, Claire Cowles, said she and her husband Martin feel very proud of their daughter’s fundraising.

She said: “The thing I learned from Cleo’s response is that, as adults, we get bogged down in the complexity of problems - things feel too big to ‘fix’ so we end up doing nothing. Cleo’s shown us all that simply saying ‘I want to help’ is enough to then find a way to do that with whatever we have to offer.

To sponsor Cleo, visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/cleo-readathon-ukraine.