Pyjama fairies seek festive donations

The mum of a cancer-stricken boy who spent two Christmases in hospital is behind a campaign to deliver pyjamas to children spending the festive season on a ward.

Blue Tobin, who had leukaemia, has been in remission for five years and the eight-year-old is now living a normal life.

But it was his experiences in hospital from 2011 to 13 that led his mum, Francesca, to link up with other mothers to form the “pyjama fairies”, whose mission is to deliver a new pair of pyjamas to children to wear when they meet Father Christmas.

The mums joined forces as their children were all treated for cancer at Surrey’s Royal Marsden Hospital. Last year they collected 1,569 pairs of pyjamas.

Francesca said: “When Blue was in hospital he wanted to know how Father Christmas would find him there, and the idea was that he would be recognised in his new pyjamas.”

New pairs of pyjamas can be donated at Marks and Spencer branches in Canterbury High Street and Simply Food stores on the Maybrook Retail Park in Canterbury and Prospect Retail Park in Whitstable.

Bikers will deliver the pyjamas to Margate’s QEQM hospital and Ashford’s William Harvey Hospital on December 17.

Pyjamas must be unwrapped and Christmas themes should be avoided.

Sets for boys and girls up to the age of 16 are needed, and the collection finishes on Friday, December 8.

Blue Tobin at home and the growing collection of pyjamas for children in hospital