Inverness sisters raise more than £2000 for city's Drummond School and Highland Children's Unit at Raigmore Hospital
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Two sisters put others ahead of themselves during the festive season, raising more than £2100 for charity.
Amelia Kelly (7), who attends Drummond School in Inverness, raised £1000 for it in less than 24 hours, and her 11-year-old sister Savannah, a pupil at the city's Central Primary, raised £1165 for youngsters in the Highland Children’s Unit and their siblings.
Mum Kelly Macrae said: “Over the last year, Amelia has spent more time in hospitals than out of them with various infections, which has been especially hard during Covid, and we wanted to do something to help other people.
“Savannah wanted to help fundraise for the siblings of children in hospital because she knows that they can often be forgotten or left behind.”
Mrs Macrae, who is the founder of the not-for-profit Young Highlanders Awards, added: “When Amelia was born she was premature and put on a ventilator, as she fought, I promised I would hold a charity event on her birthday every year, which is September 16.
“Sadly, we spent her latest birthday in hospital and I wasn’t able to do a fundraiser, so we did it at Christmas and she raised £1000 for Drummond School.”
She generated the cash with an event called Amelia’s Advent Calendar where prizes were behind each door in the run-up to Christmas, with people receiving a “door” in return for a donation.
“In the same week Savannah, wanted to fundraise, but her reasons were different,” Mrs Macrae said.
“Amelia has had seven operations this year and as a sibling, it’s especially hard for them, so she decided she was going to find a sponsor and hold a raffle.
“Caley Timber Building Supplies got involved and she raised £1165 which was all spent on toys and gifts for the Highland Children’s Unit. She took all the gifts there, just before Christmas, for the kids and their siblings.
“I’m super proud of Savannah thinking of other kids in a ward at this time. She knows that siblings get forgotten about. She’s our wee hero.”
