Hucknall youngsters raise more than £350 for Christmas sweets to give to QMC and care homes

Friends Lewis, Kodie and Molly, all aged nine, who all go to Hillside Primary School, held a cake sale at their school to raise funds and made £160.

That, combined with other fundraising activities, including selling football cards, took their total to £300.

This enabled them to buy 296 selection boxes to donate to the QMC and a number of sweet tubes to donate to three care homes in the town, a women’s aid centre for families and also a local children’s home.

They also donated a hamper to a struggling family in the town.

As well as their own efforts, the children also had donations from family and friends and local shops within Hucknall, as well as from Iceland and Tesco.

Kirsty Peel, Lewis’ mum, said: "We’re all so proud of them all for what they’ve done and what they’ve achieved by doing this.

"It was my son’s idea originally.

"He wanted to help the homeless but I’ve got a five-year-old as well so we couldn’t just go out around the streets, it would have much to cold for them.

"So he came up with this fundraising idea to buy sweets for people instead.

"The reaction we’ve had from people when we’ve delivered the items has been brilliant.

"QMC, for example, were really appreciative as they’ve not had so many donations this year so they were very happy to accept ours.

"The children said that was the best one as it was going to make so many children smile when they were not in a great place being in hospital at this time of year.

"My son was quite upset to hear about the struggling family.

"He couldn’t believe that people could be in a situation like that and he just wanted to help them.

"He’d seen online that people were trying to help a six-year-old for Christmas and asked if we could do anything for them?

"So we messaged the people involved and asked if we could send a hamper, which we did.”