We all want to help a sick child and their family, but what to do?

Making oak Kubb sets with beech batons that I give away in return for a charitable donation to the Alexander Devine Children's Hospice Service is the simple answer I hit on, because it leaves the hard, skilful and caring work to this wonderful charity.

Originally funding Alexander nurses, it now running the only purpose-built hospice designed specifically for children up to the age of eighteen in Berkshire.

The effort of making and the fun of playing the timeless garden game of Kubb, becomes a little more meaningful when it has helped support sick children, some of whom may never have the opportunity to play the game themselves.

If you haven't played Kubb, you should give it a go. It can be enjoyed by friends and family of all ages and abilities, with no scoring and few rules to spoil the fun of throwing sticks at lumps of wood in the hope of knocking some over.

It is funny how a pile of oak logs for the wood-burner looks surprisingly like a jumble of Kubb sets, if you squint hard, and to prove the point I worked a few logs into replacement Kubb pieces. Making a King trophy for a charity Kubb event was a bit of fun and a complete set for my father's 90th birthday party worked out rather well. More Kubb sets followed for birthday presents and friends and the requests kept coming.

Each Kubb set takes me a fair bit of time to make and while I enjoyed giving them away to friends, I didn't want to accept the payments everyone offered and worried that the endeavour might become a chore.

Ta-dah a donation to charity!

Now everyone is happy: I have a sense of purpose when sawing wood late into the evening; offers of donations can be accepted; and best of all, through a family game we are all helping sick children - how appropriate that feels.

I have branch out from making Kubb sets to almost anything that can be crafted from oak and other hard woods, and I am always delighted to consider commissions in return for a charitable donation.

Your donation and any more you feel you can afford, will be appreciated by the children that the Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice Service is working so hard to help.

Thank you.

Nick