Little '˜angel' Mason, 5, works supermarket jobs to help mum through cancer battle

An extraordinary five-year-old boy has been praised for helping his mum through her cancer battle by working part-time jobs and donating every penny of his earnings to Cancer Research.
Five-year-old Mason Hirst is busy raising money for cancer researchFive-year-old Mason Hirst is busy raising money for cancer research
Five-year-old Mason Hirst is busy raising money for cancer research

Little Mason Hirst, from Worksop, has raised £2,000 ‘completely off his own back’ by undertaking part-time jobs at Asda and Home Bargains after school and at weekends.

The inspirational youngster, who attends Norbridge Academy, even has his own little name tag and also helps his elderly neighbours by tidying their gardens and running errands for them.

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Mason’s mum, Julia Hirst, 41, said: “Mason is an absolute angel, and well known throughout Worksop thanks to his overwhelming need to help others.

“With me being very poorly at times, he has seen things that most children of his age couldn’t even imagine, but he can’t do enough to help me and we’re as close as can be.

“The jobs came about when Mason was around three and a half. He would come shopping with me to Asda and Home Bargains and, for some reason, started picking up discarded items people had left in the aisles.

“Soon he began making a bit of a name for himself and, when staff got to know him, he started working at both shops for a few hours each week at his own request.

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“I am back and forth to the hospital a lot, and Mason just decided he wanted to give something back. He has never asked for a penny- every bit of money he has ever received from these little jobs, he has donated.”

Julia added that Mason was a ‘miracle baby’ as she was once told that she could never have children, which makes him ‘all the more special’ to her.

The selfless tot is well-known at Norbridge Academy, where a non-uniform day was recently held to assist him further in his fundraising.

“Staff at Norbridge have told me that if a child ever falls down, or is upset, Mason is always there to comfort them,” said Julia.

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“He can’t bear to see anyone in distress. There have been times when I have collapsed due to my illness and he has jumped into action, grabbing my inhaler and calming me down. He is clever beyond his years.”

Mason said: “When I help the older people, I mostly pick up leaves from their gardens and feed the birds.

“My favourite things to do at Asda and Home Bargains is cleaning the aisles and making them look tidy. I do it all myself. I just like helping people, and my mum.”