Coronavirus: Siblings month-long camp to help Derbyshire hospice

Two children have said they plan to spend a month camping in their garden to try to help a hospice hit by the coronavirus outbreak.

Treetops Hospice Care in Risley is anticipating a £1.4m loss of income.

William and Sophie Lacey, aged 15 and seven, from Borrowash, Derbyshire, have already raised more than £500 by committing to sleeping for 30 nights in a tent in their garden.

Their mother Elizabeth said she was "really proud" of what they were doing.

She said: "They'll always remember it and hopefully it will be a positive memory, instead of all the negative things that are happening in the world at the moment."

William plans to spend every night this month sleeping in the tent.

"It was suggested that we could do it for charity and Treetops Hospice... caught my eye," he said.

Sophie is keeping him company for as many nights as she can manage.

"I remembered all those poorly people that needed help and I really wanted them to get better so I wanted to try and raise money with him," she said.

The hospice said it had been forced to close 16 shops and postpone fundraising events due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Julie Heath, the chief executive of Treetops, said it had been "overwhelmed by support".

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