A Moray mum has raised thousands of pounds to help children with allergies after highlighting her ultra-sensitive son’s condition.
Kelly Hale’s five-year-old boy, Mason, is allergic to so many foods and materials that she and her husband worry for him every time he leaves the house.
She mounted an appeal to draw attention to Mason’s difficulties – and to advise teachers of how to handle one of his severe reactions.
And after detailing the Buckie youngster’s daily struggles in the Press and Journal, Mrs Hale was flooded with offers of support.
Well-wishers eager to make life easier for Mason and children like him offered donations to help the 29-year-old raise funds.
And yesterday, Mrs Hale was “amazed” when a charity raffle she staged at Buckie Thistle FC’s social club attracted so many people that it was queued out the door.
Last night, she estimated that the bash had raised at least £2,000 – which she will donate to the ARCHIE Foundation, the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital’s official charity.
Mrs Hale said: “We began the raffle at 2pm, and people were queuing up from before 1.45pm.
“I had worried that, with the downturn in the oil industry, not so many folk would be willing to come along to support something like this.
“But I couldn’t have been more wrong, there must have been about 250 that attended and bought raffle tickets.
“And we were sold out of home bakes just 20 minutes in, it was all absolutely amazing.”
Aberdeen’s His Majesty’s Theatre was among the benefactors which ensured the event’s success.
The venue pledged tickets to see a stage show of comedy film The Commitments in March.
However, Mrs Hale ensured that the occasion retained its original purpose – to raise awareness of how serious allergies can be.
Throughout proceedings, she flitted between tables distributing information packs which she created herself.
Mason is allergic to nuts, eggs, fish, oranges, avocado, soya and latex – and his parents have spent £7,000 on trips to London, Manchester and Glasgow to speak with specialists.
The ARCHIE Foundation’s fundraising manager, Claire Bush, said the money would be used to enhance the training of its allergy specialist nurse.
