Amazon donates £1,000 to Daventry charity set up to raise awareness of railway dangers following boy’s death

A Daventry charity named after a local boy who died on the railway trackside has received a £1,000 donation from the nearby Amazon fulfilment centre.

The Harrison Ballantyne Foundation was founded by Elizabeth Ballantyne to raise awareness of the dangers of railways following the death of her son, Harrison.

Harrison was killed in 2017 after entering Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal to retrieve his football. He was electrocuted by the overhead cables.

Elizabeth said: “Thank you to the team at Amazon in Daventry for the support. In Harrison’s name, we want to raise awareness of the dangers of railways to prevent any future accidents.

“We never want another parent to go through what we have, and donations like this help us share our message.”

The foundation works with schools and youth groups across Northamptonshire to explain the dangers of rail networks to young people.

Amazon employee, Sonya Richardson, nominated the charity to receive the donation.

She said: “Harrison was a loved and cherished young boy who is missed so dearly by his family and all who knew him.

“I hope this donation helps Elizabeth in her mission to make young people aware of the dangers of railways.”

Site leader at Amazon in Daventry David Hall added: “Harrison’s death really hit home in our community. We’re pleased to be able to support the foundation in educating Northamptonshire’s young people about the dangers of railways.”

The Harrison Ballantyne Foundation received the donation as part of Amazon’s programme to support communities in and around its operating locations throughout the UK.

Find out more about the foundation at https://harrisonballantyne.org/.