Bluebell Wood present boost thanks to engineering firm

Paul Tomkins has done this for the past seven years in honour of friends Steve and Jane Knight, whose daughter Emma was cared for at the North Anston children’s hospice.

Paul, managing director of PMT Engineering in Worksop,\!q asks for donations from firms he works with and matches total raised.

He has raised more than £8,000 so far for Christmas presents in memory of Emma, who was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2004 and died aged 13.

Bluebell Wood nurses had provided up to 40 hours of support a week for Emma and her family and she was the first child to stay in the hospice’s Forget Me Not end-of-life suite.

Paul said: “I played football with Steve many moons ago, struck up a good friendship with him and we have been friends ever since.

“I’m aware of what Steve and Jane went through and just want to give something back to such an amazing cause.

“We really enjoy collecting the toys. Running a business can be all-consuming so this gives us a bit of a break and takes our minds off work for a while.

“More importantly, Christmas can be a difficult time of year for Bluebell Wood families so we just want to do our bit to support them.”

Emma Doughty, Bluebell Wood’s head of family support and wellbeing services, said: “We’d like to say a really big thank you to Paul, his wife Michelle and everyone who has donated to PMT Engineering’s Christmas toys appeal over the last seven years.

“Bluebell Wood aims to create special memories for our children and families and this has gone a long way in helping us do that.”