THE parents of brave 11-year-old Leo Darby, who died from a brain tumour last month, are launching a scholarship for youth theatre company Rag and Bones in Chippenham in his memory.

Leo, who loved performing on stage, died at the Children’s Hospice South West at Charlton Farm in Wraxall on October 19 after a ten-month battle with a brain tumour.

More than £1,500 has been raised in his name to fund a one year scholarship for two age groups, ages seven to 10 and 11 to 15, at Rag and Bones, where Leo was a member, for the next two years.

His parents, Paul and Ros, of Bristol Road, Chippenham, will be patrons of the scholarship and help with the selection of the lucky two recipients with the company director Laura Graham-May.

She said: “The aim is really for us to find other lovely people, imaginative and creative, to carry on the work Leo started."

She said of the scholarship: “It’s a mix of emotion, we have to maintain his spirit. We are looking forward to trying to choose someone we may not have found otherwise and try to nurture someone else with Leo’s energy and passion.

“It’s really exciting but it’s a mixture of excitement and sorrow.”

The scholarships, which will cover the £99 per term cost of being involved in the musical theatre, will start in January with a deadline for applications on December 18.

To apply, Rag and Bones are asking for people to write, voice record or video, a short statement why they want to join Rag and Bone Youth Theatre and what they will bring to workshops and performances.

In addition, applications are requested to come up with an original idea for a story created from scratch or an adaptation of a well-known story to show they have imagination and creativity.

Leo’s mum, Ros, said: “We think it’s a great idea, for us it’s a way of keeping Leo’s memory alive.

“He really enjoyed it, he particularly like working on the ideas and coming up with stories as well as performing and putting the humour into it, that was always part of his writing.

“We are amazed at how much money has been raised for this, we can’t quite believe it, it’s astonishing.”

The Rag and Bones’ youth theatre group meets every Saturday between midday and 2pm for the younger group with the new, 11 to 15 age group, running from 2.15pm to 4.15pm.

The scholarships will begin in January.