Donna Nelson started collecting money for the Sick Kids Friends Foundation at her son’s funeral

An Edinburgh mum has devoted herself to fundraising for charity after the tragic death of her son.

Christopher Nelson died while on holiday in Amsterdam aged just 24 in November 2015.

He had failed to return from an early-morning walk in the Dutch capital, where he was staying with his fiancée.

His body was later recovered from the Oudeschans canal in the city.

Grief-stricken from the tragedy, Christopher’s mum Donna Nelson along with the help of Christopher’s family and friends, has raised £2,500 for the Sick Kids Friends Foundation (SKFF) in his memory.

She decided to donate the figure to SKFF as Christopher had spent time at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, which the charity was set up to support.

Donna said: “We wanted to do something in memory of our son and we felt that the SKFF was very fitting to him.

“When Christopher was younger he was constantly in and out of A&E at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children with different sporting injuries, and in some cases he was bed ridden, but he was such an active child he found it difficult to stay in bed.

“The SKFF supplied him with a games console which they brought to him so he could play it without having to get up. It made the world of difference not only to him but to us. He spent his first night away from home there and he was so at ease he even thought he had been staying at a hotel which made us laugh.

“It was reassuring for us as parents to know he felt safe and happy even though he was in pain so we have always been so grateful for the work of SKFF and we are glad that we have been able to give back to them now.”

Donna started the appeal by collecting donations at her son’s funeral and then held a variety of fundraising events such as music and bingo nights.

Next up, she plans to run the Edinburgh half marathon alongside other members of Christopher’s family to raise even more money.

Sue Diamond, community fundraising manager at SKFF, said the money would be used to buy portable DVD players for children in A&E to keep them entertained during their stay in hospital.

“We are so grateful and honoured to be chosen as Christopher’s charity,” she said.

“The money raised so far has had such an impact on the lives of young patients and their families and as more is raised it will continue to make a phenomenal difference.

“We think it is such an admirable and amazing thing that Donna is doing and we really want to thank her and the whole family for their great support.”