Six-year-old brings Christmas joy to children in hospital

Mum Kathryn said her daughter Poppy has "so much empathy".

A six-year-old girl will spread some Christmas cheer to those less fortunate than herself by donating 80 selection boxes to children in hospital.

Poppy McCallum, from Glasgow, had the idea to raise money after watching Children in Need.

After saving all her pocket money for a year, she will donate items to a hospital, a food bank and a charity.

Poppy told the BBC: "It was hard watching the videos on Children in Need and I wanted to help."

She added: "I felt sad for the children in hospital this Christmas, as they might not get many presents from Santa.

"I'm going to keep saving my money."

Her mother Kathryn described Poppy as someone who "wants to help everyone".

Poppy's fundraising idea came after she watched the Children in Need telethon in November last year.

Kathryn said: "She was watching the whole thing with me. It is the first time she has watched it. She got a wee bit upset by some of the videos.

"It came up with the number to text to donate. She begged me to donate £100 in her name, but we are not very rich and we donated £10. She was happy with that."

Poppy then saved everything she could over the next year from her pocket money, cash earned from chores around the house and from cleaning jobs in her grandmother's house.

Family and friends also got behind Poppy to help her raise more money.

Poppy was inspired to raise money after watching last year's Children in Need.

Poppy managed to raise £200. She purchased 40 selection boxes and used the remainder of the money to buy a few toys for a food bank. Poppy also donated £30 to Crisis, the homeless charity.

Her family and friends have donated a further 40 selection boxes at least, as fundraising continues.

The family will donate the sweets to the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow on Saturday.

Kathryn, a creative industries student at West College Scotland, added: "I'm so proud of her. She is just so kind.

"I think now that she is getting a bit older, I am trying to explain a bit more without scaring her about how not everyone is as well-off.

"Some people don't have homes. Some people don't have good health. She has got so much empathy.

"She thinks she can save everyone."

Jamie Redfern, the General Manager of the Royal Hospital for Children, said: "This is a very generous gesture by Poppy.

"She has done well to raise the money and I'm sure the selection boxes will be well received."