They set out to offer a helping hand.
And now a fundraising campaign for a young brain tumour survivor has massively surpassed expectations.
An impressive total of £6,130 has been raised in less than four weeks in honour of six-year-old Clayton West girl Darcey Fletcher and Sheffield Children’s Hospital, which helped keep her alive.
The figure is more than triple that hoped for by parents, friends and staff at Kaye First and Nursery School, who took on a six-mile walk for the effort.
None of it would have been raised without the kind-hearted thinking of Darcey’s friend, Madison Hall, 8, who came up with the idea herself.
Her mum, Michelle Hall, said: “She came up with the idea one night and decided to write a letter to the headteacher.
“The school helped her put it together and on the day 200 people turned up, which was a lot more than we thought would join us.
“Darcey’s mum Chrissy and I have been friends for many years and it was heartbreaking when we heard about Darcey’s diagnosis because you don’t expect it to happen to someone so young.
“I’m so proud of her and it’s great someone so young wanted to do something so kind.”
A cheque was presented to Sheffield Children’s Hospital at the school and the money will go towards building a new treatment unit on the S2 ward where Darcey was treated.
Madison’s Year 4 teacher, Steve Barrans, added: “What started as a small act of kindness has blossomed into something far bigger than we could have ever imagined.”
Darcey had to undergo surgery for six and a half hours to remove a tumour that was the size of an orange from behind her brain.
Her mum, Chrissy Fletcher, said: “When we worked out the final amount I was absolutely over the moon– I never expected that so much would be raised.
“Without Madison this wouldn’t have been possible and we can’t thank her enough.
“We’d also like to say a big thank you to all her other friends, the staff and families who all pulled together for the event and to the school for being so supportive throughout her treatment and recovery.
“She is now back at school almost full time after being gradually phased in and is loving it.
“She does still get tired because she is still recovering but is very happy.”
Darcey will now undergo MRI scans every six months for a few years and then annually for the rest of her life.
