A seven-year-old boy travelled more than 200 miles to hand-deliver specialist equipment to a Sittingbourne charity.

Ronnie Hawkings, from North Devon, brought a cuddle cot and three memory boxes to Demelza Hospice Care for Children, Sittingbourne, in memory of his baby brother Vinnie, who died in 2019.

His parents, Carly and Ryan, were able to spend five precious days and nights with their child by using a cuddle cot after he was stillborn at 32 weeks.

Last summer Ronnie embarked on a daily five-mile cycling challenge to raise £2,000 to purchase the special cooling pad and memory boxes for causes that help bereaved families.

A cuddle cot is a cooling mattress that can be placed in a cot or a pram. It allows bereaved parents and family members to stay with or visit a baby before their funeral.

After doing his research, Ronnie decided he wanted Demelza to have the equipment.

Every year the charity, in Rook Lane, Bobbing, helps around 600 children with serious or terminal conditions.

Ronnie’s mum, Carly, said: “If we hadn’t used the cuddle cot, we wouldn’t have had those precious days with Vinnie, we wouldn’t have had time to say goodbye.

"We are so proud of Ronnie – the fundraising is all his idea. He wanted everyone to remember his little brother.

“It’s important to him that he helped other families experiencing loss and grief.”

Earlier this month Ronnie travelled to Kent to hand-deliver the items and was also given the opportunity to plant a flower in the hospice gardens in memory of his baby brother.

Senior healthcare assistant at Demelza, Louise Cariney, said: “Ronnie’s fundraising efforts are remarkable and he should be very proud of all he has achieved in Vinnie’s memory.

"Thanks to Ronnie, families who have experienced the death of an infant will have the choice to use the cuddle cot if they wish, giving them time to be together to create memories.”

To find out more about Demelza, follow the charity on Facebook here.