BRAVEHEART Kenzie Appleton was delighted to receive cash donated by generous shoppers at Church Square Shopping Centre on behalf of the children’s hospital that has cared for him.

Nine-year-old Kenzie accepted £411 on behalf of Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, which has treated his hip disorder Perthes disease for the past four years.

The money came from contributions for the centre’s Christmas Elves gift wrapping service as well as donations to the animated displays around the centre over the festive season.

Church Square was also a drop off point in December for Kenzie’s appeal for toys for youngsters being treated by the hospital over the festive break - which as the Star reported before Christmas saw thousands of gifts delivered to Alder Hey.

“I was very happy with how the appeal went this year,” said Sutton Oak pupil Kenzie, a joint-winner of the Child of Courage award at last year's Pride of St Helens awards.

“Staff at Alder Hey deserve our help because they really help you and they all try to make you smile and make you feel better.”

Church Square Shopping Centre manager Steven Brogan decided to donate the cash from the charity events to Alder Hey, after seeing the success of Kenzie’s toy appeal.

Kenzie’s kind-hearted appeal also led to BBC TV North West naming him as a Christmas Star, handing him his award during a broadcast from the hospital.

Kenzie’s mum Tara Hewitt, 26, said: “I can’t put in to words how proud we are of Kenzie and what he has done. I’ll never be able to express how I feel about how well he has coped with everything that he’s gone through and how determined he has been to help others.

“When he was in Alder Hey in 2014 he knew he was due in surgery on December 18 and straight away he said he wanted to do something for all the children that would be in hospital at that time of year, even though he was actually able to come home on Christmas morning.

“He launched the appeal last year and managed to fill a van with toys but he wanted to do it again this year and it has been amazing as we’ve had two vans and two cars full of presents.

“We can’t thank people enough for their support. The kindness and generosity of the people of St Helens has been incredible.”

In 2012 Kenzie underwent a complex operation that left him in a hip cast, bed ridden for three months and wheelchair bound afterwards.

Despite intense physiotherapy and hydrotherapy, and the second operation in 2014, Kenzie still has muscle damage and weakness in the affected leg, and can’t take part in active sports.

But the last few months have seen him start to get around without the wheelchair and that newfound mobility has transformed his life.

Tara added: “He is doing so well with his progress and he’s so happy to be out of the chair and walking around now after being in it for four years. He still needs appointments and physio but we’re just taking each day as it comes and dealing with one hurdle at a time.”