36 Meet Little Big Shots’ pint-sized hero
MEET THE LITTLE BOY GIVING BACK TO SICK KIDS
Tasmania’s Campbell Remess is a truly remarkable young man.
While his friends are playing sport or glued to their favourite TV shows, the 13-year-old is making teddy bears for sick children every chance he gets.
And it’s far from a fleeting interest for the Year 7 student, who hit the Little Big Shots stage on Sunday night.
Over the past three years, Campbell – who taught himself to sew using his mum’s sewing machine – has made and given away more than 1000 teddy bears, some of which have been sent to children on the other side of the globe.
‘It was quite easy to teach myself how to make the bears,’ Campbell tells New Idea.
‘I just looked at the machine and the pedals, and googled stuff. I love how each bear turns out and that they all have their own personality. I’ve also made hundreds of other presents, like blankets, pillows and toys.’
The Hobart-based hero, who is the third oldest of nine, has always been a particularly caring child, according to his mum Sonya Whittaker.
‘He’s always had very strong passions,’ she says. ‘If one of his siblings ever hurts themselves, it upsets him more. He really feels other people’s pain and he’ll jump hurdles to help them.’
Campbell, who works under the name Project 365, has also made bears for young victims of terror attacks, including those affected by the recent tragic events in London and Paris.
‘If I have lots of homework at night, I do that first and then I go on to making the bears,’ says Campbell. ‘My friends think it’s pretty cool.’
Unsurprisingly, Sonya couldn’t be prouder.
‘Each bear he makes is different and is given its own name, which is signed into its foot,’ she says.
‘It’s hard to explain the impact the bears have on children and their families. I could never have imagined it. I’m just in awe like everyone else.’