Newcastle University student Emma McCormick raises £1,670 after starting ‘joke’ crowdfunder

Fresher wants to save the money raised and hopes to travel and undertake volunteering post-graduation

How the student's balance looks this week, up from just £10 seven days go (via GoFundMe)

The student whose GoFundMe public appeal to help get her out of debt went viral after she claimed to have spent all her money on going out has managed to raise an impressive £1,670 - up from just £10 - in one week.

Emma McCormick, 18, a first-year at Newcastle University, had decided to take inspiration from a fundraising campaign which aimed to get Kanye West out of debt by starting her own with a goal of raising £500.

Originally, she had only managed to reach £10 after two months. Now, though, after her unique campaign started to gather attention, Ms McCormick managed to smash her target - with one anonymous visitor alone donating £1,000.

In an update since posted to the fundraising page, Ms McCormick, originally from Belfast, described how what started as “a joke” between friends on a Facebook post “catapulted” into the media.

Setting the record straight that some reports claimed she was in thousands of pounds of debt, she insisted she has had a job since she was 16, and also an overdraft of £250, something “every student is entitled to.”

Ms McCormick added: “Like most students, I receive the basic loan, £1,100 a term and, coming to the end of each term, I roughly would have spent £1,200 to £1,300 on food, basic amenities, and social activities with my friends.

“I wanted to start saving money so that after university I could travel, and hopefully undertake a volunteer project. With this money, I will be able to put it away in my savings account.

“Thank you so much to those who donated and please know I never once believed for a second anyone would. This was done purely as a Facebook status amongst friends. Anyone who did donate did so from the kindness of their heart.”

We wish Emma all the best and hope she puts the money raised to good use in the future.