The Warwick Gombey troupe has followed the example of one of its youngest members to help families in need.

The traditional dancers acted after kind-hearted Xenai Savery, aged 10, asked for donations to the Family Centre instead of gifts on his birthday.

After Xenai raised $1,000 for the charity, Irwin Trott, the troupe leader, and Harley Place, the captain, chipped in and donated their collections from Bermuda Day.

Mr Place said the troupe wanted to spotlight Xenai’s generosity with their $417 cheque, which they handed over yesterday.

Mr Trott said: “Xenai is very mature for his age, very focused and disciplined — not just from a Gombey perspective, but in his academics and drumming.

“Whatever he starts, he’s committed to. When his mother told us the story, I said wow, we’ve got to show our support for that kind of thinking.”

Mr Trott added: “As the leader of the group, I am very proud of him. When I heard about his giving heart, I had to attribute that to his parenting.”

Martha Dismont, executive director of Family Centre, said when Xenai handed over the donation in April: “If our youth are our future, then our future is very bright.”

Xenai’s mother, Xenia Williams-Savery, said her 10-year-old son had asked for donations to mark his April 29 birthday.

She added: “Xenai was so touched at the age of 7 when we, as a family, decided to anonymously provide a Christmas to a family through Family Centre.”

Ms Dismont said yesterday that Xenai’s generosity was “truly inspiring”.

She added: “His efforts shed a light on what young people can do when they put their minds and hearts to it.”

Xenai said after yesterday’s presentation that he had been moved to help by the thought of children in need.

He added: “There are people in this world that need help, and I wanted to help them.”

Xenai, a Year 5 pupil at Warwick Academy, has been a member of the troupe since he was four and Mr Trott said he had been practising as a bowman — the dancer who leads the group with a bow and arrow.

Mr Trott added: “We have been trying him even though he is young. We see leadership qualities, even at his age. For some performances we have given him responsibility and he has enjoyed it.”

Ms Williams-Savery said a letter of thanks from Family Centre to Xenai had been shared with Xenai’s class.

His teacher also asked him to tell the class about why he had decided to help other people.

Mrs Williams-Savery said: “Her hope was that he would inspire his classmates to do the same.”