In loving memory of my big brother...

PROUD . . . Brandon Taylor with the Francis House display he made to inspire his fellow pupils

KINDHEARTED Brandon Taylor teamed up with his schoolmates to honour his brother’s memory.

In a touching tribute, the 11-year-old Watersheddings Primary pupil and his friends raised £980 for Francis House, the Didsbury children’s hospice that cared for his brother Michael.

Michael was born in February 2000 with Zellweger Syndrome, which damages parts of the brain and affects metabolism. He died aged six months, and spent four days at Francis House to ease the stress on his parents, Nicola Brierley and Ernie Taylor.

Although Brandon never met his brother, his parents have kept Michael’s memory alive. So when Brandon and his classmates were asked to choose a charity for the school’s business challenge, he suggested Francis House.

He said: “They really looked after my big brother and my mum and dad. I am really happy that we raised this money and I am proud because it is a charity that really means something to my family.”

Nicola, of Longfellow Crescent, Sholver, said: “I am so proud of the way Brandon worked to convince his friends to choose Francis House. Many of them had never heard of Francis House - but they are all talking about it now.

“He has an old head on young shoulders and he is very intelligent. When he sets his mind on something, he will see it through until the end.

The money was raised by Year Six pupils selling decorated stones and holding raffles for parents and staff. They made £440, which was matched by Brandon’s dad and extended by £100 from the school.

Francis House ise currently in the process of building a new seven-bedroom block. The money will help to decorate the bedrooms and buy new equipment