Press and Journal paper boy Fraser Sandison had been saving up for years for a dream trip to Costa Rica when coronavirus scuppered his plans.
He had amassed £4,500 when he learned that the 28-day school trip would be cancelled due to restrictions on foreign travel.
Fraser was among many pupils at Elgin Academy who had been preparing to take part in conservation work in the Caribbean nation.
But, rather than going on a spending spree to cheer himself up when the trip fell apart, the selfless Moray 16-year-old decided to put the money to use helping others.
Fraser decided to donate the cash to Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin.
He felt that it would be “morally wrong” to keep the money he secured from well-wishers by doing everything from packing bags in supermarkets to holding coffee mornings and quiz nights and helping out with gardening.
Fraser explained that be became aware of the charity which helps the hospital through a filming project two years ago.
He said: “In 2018, I appeared in a short film arranged by Tim Wakefield and Wellbird Production Company.
“That was to raise awareness of hospital staff and it was on the back of that I heard about Friends of Dr Gray’s.”
The sixth year pupil had been due to attend a training weekend and had his bag packed, ready to go, when lockdown was announced.
He now has plans for a career in the emergency services in the future and is considering joining the police force or fire service.
Dad, Neil Sandison said he was “gutted” that the trip had been cancelled but extremely proud his son had decided to donate the money to a local hospital.
Mr Sandison said: “We went to an open evening for parents of kids and one of the main rules was they would have to raise the vast percentage of the trip themselves, and he did that.
“We had our concerns and thought it would be the ‘bank of mum and dad’ paying for it but he was very dedicated.
“We’re devastated for the kids that were meant to go but me and his mum are very chuffed and proud of Fraser. He said ‘you never know when you’re going to need the hospital’.”
Last November, Fraser won the “shining star” award for the Highlands and Moray at the Aberdeen Journals Home Delivery Awards, with readers saying his kind gestures range from checks on elderly people, giving cards on special birthdays to even making hospital visits and managing to arrange a wheelchair for one customer.
