AN EAST Saltoun computer game enthuasist is getting ready to pick up his joypad and do his bit for charity – with the help of three friends.

Craig McIntosh will be joined by three former Ross High School classmates as he attempts to raise £1,000 for the Sick Kids Friends Foundation (SKFF).

The charity provides £1.5 million each year to support the work of the Royal Hospital for Sick Children (RHSC) in Edinburgh.

The 28-year-old is raising funds from today (Friday) to Sunday as part of the annual Sick Kids Save Point – a 24-hour video ‘gameathon’ charity event.

The event, now in its fifth year, has raised more than £62,000 for the SKFF.

Craig, who is a ticketing servicing assistant on the Edinburgh trams, got involved last year after hearing about the fundraiser through a friend.

Now, he has roped in former secondary-school classmates Julian Anderson, 29 and Bryan Young, 28, from Tranent, and Alastair Duff, 28, from East Saltoun, to do their bit as well.

Speaking to the Courier on Monday, Craig said: “We are all starting at just after midnight on Friday morning and we are going to be setting up Xboxes and trying to fit them all in the one room.

“We are going to be live streaming the whole thing, so you can watch us if you feel like doing that for 24 hours!

“We figured it was a way to make sure people knew we were doing it. We are going to attempt to recreate the Sick Kids Save Point logo on Minecraft.” Then, after “six or seven hours’ sleep”, Craig will leave his Edinburgh home to go to Stirling for the second leg of the fundraiser.

There, seven gamers will concentrate on replicating the Sick Kids Hospital on the popular Minecraft computer game.

The remaining 10 team members will play multiplayer games, with two playing in gaming purgatory, which will be a combination of the worst games imaginable.

Craig said: “Pretty much every child who has grown up in Edinburgh or the Lothians has either visited the hospital or knows someone who has – which is why I think it’s so important to support SKFF.

“Video gaming has always been a hobby of mine and to be able to raise money for such a fantastic cause doing something I love is a truly wonderful thing.

“After completing last year’s challenge, I immediately started thinking of ways to make next year’s event different and more challenging. My friends kindly agreed to get on board and join me for this year’s event, making it a combined fundraising effort.

“Once the Friday challenge is complete, I am planning on getting a few hours’ sleep and joining my friends in Stirling for the Saturday challenge, which will require lots of energy drinks and junk food.” Since the event was created in 2010, more than 300 gamers from across the world have taken part, with more than 50 expected to do so this year.

Rachel McKenzie, head of community fundraising at SKFF, said: “Thanks to our hardy participants, Sick Kids Save Point has raised a phenomenal amount of money over the last four years.

“I would encourage any ambitious gamers out there to get involved or would ask anyone with a spare couple of pounds to sponsor Craig and help keep him gaming throughout the night.” To support Craig, visit www.justgiving.com/multiplayermarathon or watch him game live at www.twitch.tv/imAlexTheKid