#FillTheSeats crowdfunding campaign sends 15,000 children to the Paralympics for free A global fundraising campaign backed by Prince Harry has secured enough money to send more than 15,000 Brazilian children to […]

A global fundraising campaign backed by Prince Harry has secured enough money to send more than 15,000 Brazilian children to watch the Paralympic Games.

Supporters of the #FillTheSeats initiative have collectively donated over $450,000 (£341,000), giving thousands of young Brazilians the opportunity to attend the 2016 Games.

The campaign, spearheaded by Briton Greg Nugent, formerly a marketing director for the 2012 London Olympics, aimed to ensure athletes would play at “packed” venues across Rio following poor ticket sales.

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Mr Nugent originally hoped to raise $15,000 (£114,000) to send 500 young people to the Games. After raising more than $20,000 (£15,000) in one week alone, though, Mr Nugent raised the target to $300,000 (£226,000) to send 10,000 children to the event.

Rock band Coldplay endorsed the “amazing idea” and Prince Harry joined in too, making a personal donation.

Corporate sponsors including Allianz, Sainsbury’s, Visa and Samsung, helped bring the total sum of money raised to more than $450,000 this week, Mr Nugent announced.

“It is incredible how something so small can reach this height,” Mr Nugent said, before thanking supporters “for believing in the spirit of the Paralympic Games and giving 15,000 kids the chance to be inspired”.

The young Brazilians availing of the tickets “will experience something at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games I don’t think they will ever forget”, Mr Nugent added.

International Paralympic Committee president Sir Philip Craven said: “We are ecstatic to see the way so many people from all over the world have responded to this campaign so that the stands will be packed to see our Paralympians in Rio.”

Sir Philip added: “Thanks to this campaign, thousands of Brazilian children who may not have been able to see the Games, will be able to benefit from this once in a lifetime opportunity and will have new sporting heroes as a result.”



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