AN enterprising 10-year-old from York who uses her creative skills to help children with rare genetic conditions is getting a boost from traders in the city centre.

Daisy Mitcham-Harding, who goes to Clifton with Rawcliffe Primary School, spends hours of her free time making woollen pompoms, which she sells to raise money for the MPS Society - a charity which helps children with rare genetic conditions

Daisy has been inspired to help because her cousin Danny Molloy, 5, has Hunters - one of the conditions the MPS Society helps. She made mountains of festive pompoms in the run up to Christmas, and has already raised more then £900.

In a piece for her schools newsletter, Daisy wrote: “I’m selling pom-poms to raise money for The MPS Society because my cousin Danny and his family is being supported by that charity. Also, I love Danny so much and I want him to make the most of his life however long he lives.

“Danny has got severe Hunters. In a boys’ body there is an X and a Y, to get the condition that Danny has, the X in a boy’s body goes wrong and because there isn’t another X to help out, the boy will get Hunters. In a girls’ body there are two X’s so if one X in a girl’s body goes wrong there is another X to help out so girls cannot get Hunters.

“I want to help Danny and other boys like him.”

Daisy’s mum Jenny said she used to make and sell pompoms as a child, and when Daisy got a pompom kit as a present she decided to do the same - but to give the money to charity.

Jenny said: “We are really proud of her, it’s really nice she wants to do something for her cousin. It was nice she came up with the idea herself.”

Daisy has had help from her grandma, who lives in Newcastle, and from friends at school.

Now Daisy’s pompoms are on sale in the Blossom Street Gallery, and traders along Micklegate are hoping “Yarn Storm” on their street will raise awareness for the charity, and Daisy’s efforts.

The event is planned for Saturday, July 2 and will see the street bedecked in woollen decorations - from woolly floral displays to a knitted cat trail with a quiz for children to follow - available from cafes and shops along the street. 

The Yarn Storm is being organised by the Micklegate Business Initiative, the people behind the Micklegate Run.