Local children band together to raise money for Downe Hospital

Local children band together to raise money for Downe Hospital

27 May 2020

TWO local children have raised almost two thousand pounds for the Downe Hospital during the Coronavirus lockdown. 

Katie Johnston, from Loughinisland, and Jenna Russell, from Ballynahinch, both nine years old, have been making rainbow-coloured rubber bracelets — known as loom bands  — and selling them on Facebook where they have 

watched sales explode over the last week. 

Jenna decided just over ten days ago to help her friend Katie who had already been making the brightly coloured loom bands. 

The girls are being helped by Katie’s brother, Michael (7) and sister Lucy (10), and Jenna’s sister, Abbie (7). 

Jenna is making the loom bands from her home under the watchful eye of her mum, Patricia. 

Patricia says Jenna grasped the opportunity to help her aunt, Shirley McComiskey, who is a nurse in the Endoscopy unit at the Downe Hospital. 

“Shirley has been working on the front line throughout the Covid-19 health emergency and Jenna decided that a little recognition for all the staff who work alongside her aunt would not go amiss,” Patricia said.

It wasn’t long before the girls got to work making loom bands and selling them to raise money. 

Patricia said: “Abbie was assigned the role of merchandiser and the girls just love their new roles.”

“Abbie is always going ahead of Jenna and ensuring she has enough rubber bands for production the next day.

“She is always busy sorting colours and putting them into the correct compartments. This week the orders are just pouring in.

“The team decided to sell each loom band for £2 and have at this stage made hundreds of them. Together they have raised £1,800 for the Downe Hospital.” 

Patricia added: “It’s loom band madness morning, noon and night in our house but it’s great to see the children throw themselves 

behind a worthwhile cause such as this.”

Jenna, who attends Holy Family Primary School in Teconnaught, had been missing her friends at school during the lockdown. 

“This has given her and her sister and the Johnston family something else to focus on and it has given them a great lift seeing sales for their loom bands explode,” added Patricia.

If you would like to purchase a loom band, contact Patricia or Katie’s mother, Brenda, on Facebook.