RESIDENTS have raised thousands of pounds to let sick children make memories with their families.

East Ayrshire Leisure announced that everyone who kindly donated to the Sleeping Beauty Big Bucket campaign after each of last year’s shows, helped to raise over £4000 for Calum’s Cabin.

The cabin is a holiday retreat on the Isle of Bute, that welcomes children suffering from cancer and their families, to visit, to spend quality time together.

The charity relies on fundraising efforts and donations for running costs for - Calum’s Cabin, Calum’s Cabin cottage and now Calum’s Cabin flats in Glasgow.

Since opening its doors in 2009, the charity has helped hundreds of families caring for a child with cancer.

Janice Gilmour, Performing Arts Venues Team Leader and some of the Sleeping Beauty cast (Fraser Boyle, James McAnerney and Ali Cleland) took the boat over to Bute to see how the money raised for the charity is spent.

They were blown away by the atmosphere created in the cabin, the possibilities it offered families and most of all the volunteers that make the charity work.

Calum’s parents said: “Calum Speirs was born on 18th November 1994, one minute before his beloved younger twin sister Jenna. Calum was a fit and healthy young man until January 2006 when his first symptoms were spotted. Within 3 days Calum was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour. Calum’s treatment included chemotherapy and radiotherapy, which Calum handled with great courage, dignity and humour for someone so young. Calum was an inspiration to all who knew and met him, he always laughed, smiled and thought of others. CALUM’S CABIN was Calum’s idea, knowing he and his family lived in a beautiful part of the world , wouldn’t it be great to have children suffering from cancer come to Bute and make special irreplaceable memoires.”

This year’s panto is Cinderella.

Cinderella runs from Saturday, November 23 - Sunday, December 29 and stars Kilmarnock’s much loved comedy duo Fraser Boyle and Gary Morrison.

Make sure you’ve got a ticket to the best ball in town and maybe you will help make someone’s dream come true with the next big bucket campaign.