A GIANT panda lover is raising funds to have breakfast and say a fond farewell to her furry friends.
Matilda Mae Croft who attends Shirley Heath Junior School is fundraising to get Yang Guang and Tian Tian – the giant pandas at Edinburgh Zoo – special pancakes as part of their leaving gift when she visits the zoo later this year.
The pandas are due to return to China later this year after a decade at the zoo on a breeding and conservation programme.
The nine year old is hosting an online raffle with prizes from companies across Solihull, Birmingham and Warwickshire on Facebook, with a little bit of help from her mum Michelle.
Michelle said: “There was no way Matilda was going to miss saying goodbye to her panda friends and she didn’t want to return empty handed so she decided to one again raise awareness and much needed funds for her furry friends.
“So with the help of local businesses Matilda will be fundraising with another spectacular raffle this year.
“With the generous donations she has received from people in and around Birmingham we are hoping to beat last years total.”
Last year Matilda raised £1,127 from her fundraising raffle to pay for a special cake to be made for them, which they could enjoy on her birthday.
She visited the pair with her family in June where she was presented with a certificate and a bag full of panda goodies.
Michelle said: “Matilda had a one to one chat with the Panda expert and couldn’t believe her eyes when she finally got to see her beloved Pandas up close.
“She was mesmerised by their sheer size and loved every single minute of her visit.
“Upon returning home Matilda’s bedroom was transformed into a panda haven and her love for the Giant Pandas has only grown.”
For more or to get raffle tickets click here.
Winning tickets will be drawn live on March 3.
