AN eight-year-old boy is set to run his own Santa’s grotto in a bid to raise cash for the hospital which saved his little brother’s life.

Billy Cook decided to launch the festive fundraising initiative after his brother Sonny-Lee received life-saving treatment at the Royal Brompton Hospital in London.

Sonny-Lee had major surgery for a serious heart condition last year.

Surgeons at the hospital, the largest specialist heart and lung medical centre in the country, saved his life and his prognosis has improved since the operations.

Sonny-Lee spent last Christmas in the hospital and received gifts from the hospital’s Brompton Fountain, which supports children with life threatening medical conditions.

Gazette:

Grotto - Billy Cook has created a grotto to raise cash for the charity that came to the aid of his little brother Sonny-Lee

However, he is now two-years-old and will be celebrating Christmas at home with his family.

The boys’ mum Danell Cook said she was proud of Billy, who is a pupil at Brightlingsea Junior School, for his bid to raise cash for the charity’s Christmas toy appeal.

“He has created his own little winter wonderland – for an eight-year-old kid, it’s fantastic,” she said.

“Billy originally decided just to put up Christmas decorations to raise money for the charity.

“But he roped in everyone, friends and family, as well as me and his aunt, and will now be running a grotto in his gran Sindy’s shed.

“The Brompton Fountain is a wonderful charity and it gives children a Christmas while in hospital.

Gazette:

Worker - proud Billy

“Sonny-Lee has spent Christmas in hospital.

“The hospital saved Billy’s baby brother and the charity is very close to his heart.

“This appeal is to give kiddies like Sonny-Lee a Christmas while they are trying to get better.

“But Billy also believes all children should have the right to see Father Christmas.

“So, he has cleared his gran’s shed in Brooklands Gardens and he has now created a wonderful Santa’s grotto.

“He will not be charging people for entry to the grotto, but there will be a donation box for those who wish to donate to the charity’s appeal.

“Everybody involved in running the grotto is a child and we even have a 15-year-old girl playing Santa.”

Each child who visits the grotto will receive a small gift and will have a chance to meet Santa.

The grotto, at 25 Brooklands Gardens, Jaywick, will be open on Saturday from 5pm to 8pm.

If it’s a success, it could run for another two weekends.