A MUM whose four-year-old son has leukaemia is helping to banish the lockdown blues thanks to a bundle of books.

Families with vulnerable children who are shielding at home throughout Edinburgh and the Lothians are having hundreds of books delivered to their doorsteps thanks to a new charity partnership.

Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity (ECHC) – which supports the Royal Hospital for Sick Children – has teamed up with Edinburgh City Libraries to help children and their siblings feed their imaginations while shielding for 12 weeks.

Caroline Leishman is among those benefiting from the partnership as she stays in her Tranent home with son Finley.

She said: “Finley was diagnosed with leukaemia in October 2017.

“He was about two when he was diagnosed and he had to undergo nine months of intense chemotherapy.

“He is now on what is called maintenance and he still gets chemotherapy every day at home but it is a gentler cycle. He goes into hospital once every few weeks and his chemotherapy is due to finish at the end of January 2021.”

With libraries currently closed, Edinburgh City Libraries and Information Services has made available to ECHC a Book Bus filled with about 1,800 books for children and young people.

The bus is stationed at the charity’s office, where volunteer delivery drivers collect book packages and deliver them to local families known to the Sick Kids hospital.

Caroline, 40, said the delivery of books had been “brilliant” and helped keep Finley and big brothers Zach, eight, and Lucas, 11, occupied.

The Market Loan resident said: “Coming up with new and exciting ways to keep everyone occupied and distracted while also looking after a clinically vulnerable child becomes a little bit harder as each week goes by.

“It was such a relief when the book parcel from ECHC arrived on our doorstep.

“The kids were so excited to open it and discover all the new books they had to read, which gave us some much needed breathing space!

“Books are such a wonderful resource for children who are shielding. They let their imaginations run wild so they can go on all sorts of fantastic adventures without ever leaving the safety of home.”

Caroline said Finley loved sitting on her knee for her to read to him, while Zach was starting to enjoy David Walliams’ books and Lucas had read the Harry Potter series.

Roslyn Neely, CEO of ECHC, said books were a powerful tool for youngsters.

She said: “We know the power of storytelling and the benefits that brings to children in hospital so we’re positive it will have the same effect in the home.

“We believe that nothing should get in the way of being a child. Even though they can’t physically be out and about in the world right now, children have a huge appetite for adventure and there’s a whole world of creativity and magic in their imaginations.”

All books returned to the Book Bus will be held on board for 72 hours for infection control before being recirculated.

The charity is also distributing emergency care packs of food and essential supplies, toiletries and arts and activity items.

Donations to ECHC’s Covid-19 appeal can be made at echcharity.org/support-us/covid-19-appeal