What started out as a fairly modest collection has rocketed as teachers, kitchen staff and pupils at St Joseph's Junior and Infant RC School joined forces to swell the fund set up in the name of Nathan Jones who died in July. He was 13.

The fund currently stands at over £500 and will go to the Great Ormond Street Hospital For Children in London. Nathan went to nursery at St Joseph's where his mum, Janet, works as a general kitchen assistant. He continued through the infants and juniors before moving up to Brighouse High School. He was due to go to Great Ormond Street for heart surgery in July but died at his home in Smithy Carr Lane, Brighouse, a week before admission.

Nathan was diagnosed with the rare Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) when he was two. The condition affected his mobility. People with EDS have a defect in their connective tissue which supports many parts of the body. Nathan faced numerous operations but his parents were determined he would lead as normal a life as possible.

Adele Hindle, who works as a general kitchen assistant with Nathan's mum, said: "It has been really hard for Janet over the last few weeks on the approach to Christmas but she is doing really well and putting on a brave face."

(Read the full story in the Brighouse Echo 24/12/08)