A 12-year-old boy from Tasmania has taken charitable giving to the next level. The inspiring youngster makes a cuddly toy every day, to comfort sick children in hospital.
Campbell Remess, also known as 'Bumble' first came to our attention in July 2015 when he was nominated for a Pride of Australia award. Since then, he has been quietly toiling away, buying supplies with his pocket money and making the toys on his mum's sewing machine.
Remess, who has three brothers and five sisters, started the initiative when he was just nine years old. He asked his parents if he could buy Christmas presents for children in hospital, but he was told that it would be too expensive.
That didn't stop Remess though. Instead of buying presents, he started to make them. "I have done this for two Christmases now and I love it," Campbell wrote on his Facebook page 'Project 365'.
"I make special bears to auction and fundraise for people too."
Remess is back in the spotlight after a video he made about his project went spectacularly viral. He is now enjoying a moment of stardom as news outlets around the world feature his remarkable project.
The creative youngster has appeared on the ABC, SBS, TODAY and the BBC. His efforts also earned him the Peoples Choice Award at this year's 'Tas Community Achievement Awards'.
Remess uses a Facebook group to share his work and post stories from grateful parents. One post reads:
"My 2 year old daughter Sophie broke her leg and one of your beautiful bears kept us company on one of our ambulance rides into the Royal Hobart Hospital for an X-ray (Sophie could only be transported by ambulance due to the cast on her legs).
"Thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts. You're a very special person to help people the way that you do. We wish you the best always."
The Project 365 by Campbell group has over twenty-six-thousand members. Among the many posts are offers from people who want to contribute fabric and other materials.
Remess has inspired people in other ways to. A recent post from one mum explains that her five-year-old was so moved by Project 365 that she decided she wanted to do something for sick kids to.
"She immediately felt she too, wanted to do something. Not knowing how to sew she decided to make cards that we brought to the hospital today. Thank you for what you're doing and for all the people young and old that you are inspiring too," she writes.
And of course, the heart-warming stories are also uplifting.
"Every time a picture from Project 365 by Campbell comes across my newsfeed it warms my heart! God bless you sweet boy you are such a blessing to so many," writes one member of the group.
Remess isn't done yet. He is currently fundraising to buy a laser cutter. "It will mean I can make puzzles and other things for kids," he explained on his GoFundMe page.
"If you know of a child that I could send a bear to and would like to share their story please send a request through the form on my website."
But while the Project 365 keeps him busy, it hasn't completely taken over his life.
"He still does his schoolwork, he still has jobs that the other kids have to do; he still has to make his bed and take his dog for a walk," his proud mum Sonya Whittaker told the ABC.
"To see likeminded people wanting to help out and be part of Campbell's project is incredible."
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