A COUPLE are organising their third fundraising day to mark what would have been their son’s third birthday.

Gemma and Luke Froude will host the fun day on Saturday, February 2, to raise funds in the memory of baby Finnley, who died aged just 18 weeks.

He was born 12 weeks premature at the neo-natal intensive care unit at Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital in February 2010.

He weighed just 1lb 4oz – less than a bag of sugar.

Months on, the youngster weighed in at 7lb 14oz, and Mr and Mrs Froude were hoping they would soon take him home. Sadly in June 2010 he suffered complications with an infection in his heart and was not strong enough to survive.

Soon after Finnley was born the couple started fundraising for SNAP, the charity which supports the special care baby unit at the John Radcliffe, and have raised more than £36,000 so far.

The couple, from Appleby Close, Banbury, have held two previous Finnley’s Days to mark his first and second birthdays, along with car boot sales and a film evening. Mr Froude, 32, completed an abseil at the hospital and also runs a tuck shop at his work, Bibby, in Banbury.

Mrs Froude, 31, a children’s nursery manager, said: “We do it because we enjoy fundraising and raising more awareness of the neonatal unit at the JR.

“We also raise money in Finnley’s memory.

“It is important because it keeps his memory alive and makes people aware of how amazing he was, and how amazing the unit, medical staff and SSNAP are.”

Next month’s Finnley Day is at Banbury Town Hall, in Bridge Street, from 9am to 5pm. It will include a prize draw, raffle, tombola, bouncy castle, stalls, face-painting and this year there will be a children’s colouring competition with Banbury’s mayor Tony Ilott choosing the winner on the day.