Toddler Alfie and his pals scoot around town for charity.

HEALTH: Boy leads fundraiser as mother tells how painful condition affects families

An Angus toddler was the star of a “sponsored scoot” to raise money for a charity close to his family’s heart.

Alfie Palgrave, who suffers from eczema, and friends cycled and scooted two miles around Montrose to provide Eczema Outreach Support with a £412 windfall.

The charity offers support and practical advice to families coping with eczema, which affects an estimated 15 million people in the UK and causes dry, red, itchy and cracked skin.

Mum Kim Stewart said three-year-old Alfie’s eczema has put a huge emotional, mental and sometimes financial strain on the family.

“Eczema Outreach Support has been a massive help to us and so we wanted to give them something back,” she said.

“Having a child with eczema can be a really difficult time. It’s great to have someone to talk to and give you advice.

“All the kids had a great time on the walk and we are blown away at the great total we raised.”

Eczema Outreach Support is a national charity to support families with a child that suffers from eczema.

As well a dedicated family support worker, it also arranges family events, provides school workshops and raise the profile of what eczema sufferers go through on a daily basis.

“Before I had Alfie I, like many others, thought eczema was just a little bit of dry itchy skin that you put moisturiser on and that sorted it out, but I couldn’t have been more wrong,” she said.

“Having a child with eczema puts a huge emotional, mental and sometimes financial strain on families if, like us, you have to pay for emollients as you can’t get that particular one on prescription.

“As a parent it is heartbreaking to watch your child scratch until they bleed.

“There have been times when Alfie has cried because he doesn’t want to make himself bleed, he doesn’t want to have cream on that stings and irritates, he doesn’t want to be covered in wet bandages or have scratch sleeves on.

“There have been times when I have cried because I haven’t slept as I’ve had to hold on to Alfie all night so that he doesn’t scratch himself, or I have gone through to his bedroom to find his sheets covered in skin and blood.”

She said they have had to leave events and gatherings as Alfie has felt hot and started to itch, and in the summer they can’t apply suncream to Alfie as it irritates his skin.

Kim said: “Even in the house we often can’t leave Alfie out of our sight as he will use it as an opportunity to scratch.

“Eczema does have an influence on Alfie’s behaviour, but despite everything Alfie is a very happy, cheeky little boy who is very resilient.”

Kim said Alfie’s dad used to have eczema as a child and grew out of it.

Smiling through: Alfie stays cheerful despite his persistent skin condition.