THE mother of Skye Hall has spoken about how the Loom to the Moon campaign is keeping the five-year-old’s memory alive.

The brave youngster, from Abingdon, died on August 29 after battling a brain tumour for a year.

Oxford Mail:

Rush Common School pupils, including 10-year-old Che Barber, front, holding the ball of bands 

His parents, Andrew and Sally Hall, who have a younger son Jesse, two, set up the Loom to the Moon appeal in July to try to make the world’s longest loom band – where elastic bands are twisted together to form a chain.

It has more than 14,100 likes on Facebook, and the family have already received more than 21.8km of loom bands – the height of nearly 50 Empire State Buildings on top of each other.

Our top stories

Mrs Hall, 36, spoke of her loss as pupils at Rush Common School, where Skye used to go, ran a Loom to the Moon event yesterday.

She said: “We are throwing everything we have at Skye’s Loom to the Moon campaign and it is continuing to gather momentum and has a hugely positive response to those who find out about it.

“Life is beyond difficult and it is a struggle to get up each morning knowing Skye is not here to share the day with.

“Even Jesse, who is luckily quite young and therefore very accepting, said ‘It was not quite the same talking to Skye’s pictures rather than talking to my brother’.

“He still gets very excited when the parcels of loom arrive and I see a little glimmer of Skye’s caring responsible approach to life shine through as Jesse continues with the campaign.”

The campaign is to raise awareness of Skye’s charity Blue Skye Thinking, which supports research into non-toxic treatments for childhood cancers.

Skye’s old school, Rush Common School in Abingdon, ran a Loom to the Moon event in his memory yesterday.

Acting headteacher Laura Brown said: “It is a privilege to be able to support such a wonderful charity.

“Unfortunately, Skye was only with the school for a short period of time but, as a result of his bravery, he has in that time had an inspirational impact on the whole school community.

“It has been a wonderful and heart-warming event today involving the whole school from Foundation Stage to Year 6, pupils and staff alike.”

Pupil Che Barber, 10, said: “We spent most of the day making these long bands.

“It’s really cool doing it for a special cause – we all remember Skye.”

  • For more about the appeal, see blueskyethinking.org or like the Facebook page at facebook.com/loomtothemoon s Completed loom bands must be posted to Blue Skye Thinking, 59 Hendred Way, Abingdon, OX14 2AW, by December 19.


  • Do you want alerts delivered straight to your phone via our WhatsApp service? Text NEWS or SPORT or NEWS AND SPORT, depending on which services you want, and your full name to 07767 417704. Save our number into your phone’s contacts as Oxford Mail WhatsApp and ensure you have WhatsApp installed.