They build brighter futures for sick children through Lego.

Huddersfield-based charity, Fairy Bricks, has already donated over £25,000 worth of Lego sets in just under 12 months, since the project was turned into an official charity.

Lego-obsessed friends Kev Gascoigne, Martyn Jones and Julie Greg came up with the novel idea, to help children unable to leave their rooms and those who have been brave after difficult procedures.

So far, around 33 hospitals around the country and beyond have been lucky enough to receive the brightly coloured packs, despite the team only ever intending to make a one-off donation.

Kev, who lives in Moldgreen, said: “We’re all members of the Lego fan club, Brickish, and met online.

“We just decided to raise some money to donate some sets to Huddersfield Royal Infirmary as a one-off gesture in 2012, because we just thought it would make a difference to the children being treated there.

“We just love Lego so giving that seemed like a natural thing to do and the impact giving the sets to children was great.

The following year Kev, Martyn and Julie, who live in different parts of the country, decided to do more fundraising, which sent more sets of all shapes and sizes into children’s units.

It is the most prolific charity making the donations.

Kev said: “This year and last have been very busy. We’ve given to dozens of hospitals, even including some in New York, Canberra, France and Sweden, all of which has been done with the help of our dedicated team of around 30 volunteers.

“It’s just a great toy because the possibilities with it are endless.

“This means it not only gets the kids thinking creatively, but allows them to learn without realising it.

“It’s also a good distraction for them while they’re in hospital and can be built up in little bits, when they want.”

Fairy Bricks gets much of its funding from Lego events around the country but also relies on the donations of kind-hearted individuals.

Kev said: “Play is an undervalued part of hospital experiences, so we hope that through this it will highlight the transformational effect it can have and the efforts of hospital staff who work in this area.”

Fairy Bricks will be appearing at the London Model Engineering Exhibition from January 16 to 18 next year, before heading straight down to Southend University Hospital to make their first donation of the year.

To find out more, go to: fairybricks.org

LEGO FACTFILE

The business was created by Danish carpenter Ole Kirk Christiansen

He began producing models and toys when his woodworking business hit hard times in 1932

The name Lego came from the Danish leg godt, or play well

The introduction of plastics in World War II led to boom times for Lego

The firm bought an injection moulding machine in 1947 and two years later began to produce the familiar building bricks

Lego has been Toy of the Year several times