Nine-year-old boy 'has only gone and beaten Lewis Capaldi' as he hits £2000 fundraising target

Nine-year-old Max McDougall from West Lothian was left feeling disappointed last year after his efforts to raise money for Poppy Scotland were overshadowed by singer Lewis Capaldi.

Max Mcdougall hits target and raises over £2000 for Poppy Scotland.

Max has autism and hyperacusis and raised £261.50 for Poppy Scotland in 2019 with his mum Lorraine McDougall saying he was ‘super proud of himself’.

The family, from Fauldhouse, received a local newsletter featuring Max’s achievement but sadly it left him feeling ‘gutted’ as he featured right next to singer, Lewis Capaldi who had raised £2000 for the local Children’s Gala Day.

Max didn’t stay down for long and decided to set himself the challenge of beating ‘that Capaldi’ and aimed to raise more than £2000 this year for Poppy Scotland.

Max Mcdougall selling his homemade poppies.

Max wants to thank everyone that has donated as he celebrates hitting his target raising a grand total of £2,262.50.

His mum said: “We are all super proud of him. He has gone and smashed it.

"He started raising the money during lockdown, since he has autism he likes his routine and without he was getting really bored and fed-up.

“He set up a wee stall in front of our house and was selling his homemade poppies from that.

The signed T-shirt donated by Paige Turley and Finn Tapp from Love Island.

"People passing by would stop and buy them and then when we set up online it really took off.

"He was making his own poppies and just trying to think outside the box. He made light-up bottles and wood slices and he had some friends from Fauldhouse Rocks (FHRocks) donate poppy rocks for him to sell as well.”

Max wanted to say a special thanks to his school friend Billie and her mum at FHRocks for their help and donations which helped him meet his target.

Love Island’s Paige Turley and Finn Tapp donated a signed t-shirt which Max auctioned off to raise money.

A collection of some of the items that Max sold to raise money for Poppy Scotland, including 'poppy rocks'.

A friend of Max’s dads pained a poppy canvas which they did a bonus ball draw for and the winner won the painting.

Local businesses The Sweetie Box and Nikki’s Beauty Spot in Fauldhouse showed their support by selling Max’s handmade poppies and Loughran’s bakery in Whitburn donated cakes for him to sell.

His family is overwhelmed by the support he has received and Max is ‘over the moon’ that he has finally beaten ‘that Capaldi’.