A month of charity for the heart unit that Alfie depends on

Emma Brook’s five-year-old boy, Alfie, was born with a life-limiting heart condition and will go to Leeds General Infirmary’s heart unit for a big operation in the spring.

Emma said: “I am really, really nervous because the last major one he had was when he was two and now he is scared – it will be a really hard time.

“I suppose the fundraising is keeping my mind occupied.

“We decided to put the operation off for a bit and let him have a nice time at Christmas.”

She said the staff at the unit had been incredible over the years and was pleased the unit was still in operation despite it previously being threatened with closure. Some of the money will go to Eckersley House, which supports families of children staying in the hospital. Emma, of Track Road, Batley, said: “We stayed there when Alfie was very unwell. You can’t stay in the surgery unit but you don’t want to go home.”

To raise money for the children’s heart unit, Emma Brooks has arranged a month of events at Iceland, in Railway Street, Dewsbury.

Throughout the weekends in March, Emma and her family will hold a raffle, which will be drawn on March 31, cake stalls, a tombola and cuddly toy stall in the store. She is still looking for any donations of soft toys, which can be left with the shop.

The money raised will go to equipment, support or anything else that the unit needs.

Emma thanked Ian Thompson, from Iceland, who she said had made the events possible.