A Co Down schoolgirl and her brother have been awarded superhero certificates for their fundraising efforts during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Eight-year-old Maddie Keenan, from Clifton Road, Bangor, and her five-year-old brother, Tommy, raised funds for healthcare workers by sitting at their garden gate every day during the lockdown and offering to draw "pichers" for people passing by, for 10p a time.
The siblings then sent a cheque for £40 to the South eastern trust as a thank you to its staff for "keeping people safe".
Maddie's mother, Corrina said her daughter loves drawing and had used both her creative and entrepreneurial skills to set up a flourishing `business', which paid dividends for health staff.
Along with the cheque, Maddie wrote to the trust saying she had come up with "this really good idea that I draw people 'pichers' for only 10p. My brother and I razed a lot of money for you".
In east Belfast, five-year-old Joel Baines was also recognised as a superhero when he wrote to the trust and donated his life savings of £5 to its staff.
Making his donation, the little boy wrote: "Here are my savings. Love Joel, age 5".
Maddie and Joel’s letters are now taking pride of place on the wall of the chief executive’s office.
Seamus McGoran, Chief Executive of the South eastern trust, said: "Our staff went the extra mile looking after people during the first surge of Covid-19.
"It is very touching to see that children as young as this appreciated their efforts," he said.
