Caps 4 Kids, Press Cuttings

HAT'S THE WAY TO DO IT: Aimee Jordan, aged 5, Laura Thompson, 10, and Ben Martin, 5,
have fun in their hats during the childhood cancer charities fundraiser at Pennington School

DRESSING up hats and outlandish head gear brightened up Pennington School uniforms last week. The primary school pupils donned caps and hats to raise money in memory of a former pupil. Declan Thompson lost his life to an aggressive childhood cancer neuroblastoma, aged just six. He was in year one at Pennington School when he died six years ago.

On thursday his 10 year-old sister Laura and her schoolmates, paid £1 to wear hats, wigs, caps and bandanas to school to raise funds for vital research into neuroblastoma and other childhood cancers. Their mum Julie Thompson, of Fell View, Swarthmoor, said: "Pennington Scool raised £167.55, so I'm really pleased. And the children enjoyed it." Mrs Thompson, and her mother-in-law Audrey Thompson, of Park Road, Swathmoor, have together raised £25,390 for the Neuroblastoma Society.

Mum urges public to

don a cap for charity

A MOTHER who lost her son to a very aggressive childhood cancer is asking people to don a cap for kids tomorrow. Julie Thompson lost her son Declan to neurobastoma six years ago. Tomorrow Declan's sister Laura, 10, and her friends at Pennington School will be wearing a hat, bandana, wig or cap to raise funds for vital research into neuroblastoma and other childhood cancers. Mrs. Thompson, of Fell View, Swarthmoor, hopes other schools and businesses will support International Childhood Cancer Day tomorrow by donating £1 to wear a cap for kids.

Mrs. Thompson, and her mother-in-law Audrey Thompson, of Park Road, Swarthmoor, have together raised £25,390 for the Neuroblastoma Society since Declan died, aged six. Mrs Thompson said: "Neuroblastoma is an extremley rare form of cancer, which affects 100 children in the UK every year. There have been two children in our area over the last 10 years that have had this." Declan was diagnosed in 1999. He underwent chemotherapy, surgery and a bone marrow transplant before he passed away in 2001.

During his illness Declan's family and the community raised funds to send him to Lapland Mrs Thompson said: "We're really pleased we've been able to raise so much money for the charity. We would like to thank everybody for their continued support. Pennington School has been very supportive. Declan was in year one when he died." Anybody interested in supporting the Neurobalstoma Society can contact Beverley House, Frilford, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX13 5NU, log onto www.nsoc.co.uk or call the help line on 01371 876254.

Press Cuttings

Hats off to school's fund-raising kids