A BUDDING young artist has helped raise over £4000 for her fiver-year-old brother with cerebral palsy by selling Christmas cards at her school which she designed herself.

Evie Haynes, 9, turned her love of drawing into an idea to help fund a home extension which will allow her Jack, 5, to have have his own accessible bedroom and bathroom on the ground floor which has now been granted planning permission by Wiltshire Council.

Mum Hayley Haines applied for a £30,000 grant from the council for the renovation work at the family home in Hackett Place, Trowbridge, but still needs to raise a further £10,000.

Last weekend Evie raised £50 when she sold her cards at The Mead Christmas fair after 500 of them were printed free of charge by Superior Creativ in Melksham, after an appeal run by The Wiltshire Times.

Now the family have raised over £4000 through a JustGiving page,

Ms Haines said: "The Xmas fair went well.

"Evie was fabulous, she helped me set up the stall, and display her cards.

"It looked so lovely, and then she sat for the whole fair with myself and family friends.

"It was a long day, especially as we had been to see Sleeping Beauty the night before at The Wyvern theatre in Swindon courtesy of Julia’s House Hospice. We got home very late then up early to get ready for the fair.

"Evie was very modest about her cards and those that bought cards at the fair were very supportive to her efforts to raise money for her brother Jack.

"Wiltshire Council held a raffle at their art and craft fair last week raising £213! It was so thoughtful.

"Lovejoys fruit and veg suppliers also raised over £150 through their team of staff donating to Jack's journey instead of sending Christmas cards this year.

"All of this wouldn’t have been possible without the kind help from Katie Street and her family printing out 500 of Evies Christmas cards for free! We are so grateful.

"We have sold cards online, to friends and family and they are also in a gift shop in Bradford On Avon called By the Way.

"We still have donations coming in, with Nando’s in St Stephens Place raising money this week by wearing Christmas jumpers.

"The support we have had has been overwhelming, We feel very very lucky and so grateful to everyone who has bought a card or donated and given up their time to contribute."

To donate towards Jack's new bedroom and bathroom, please visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/hayley-haynes