ONE YEAR after their world “came to an end” with the death of their baby son, David and Hannah Cole are on a mission.

The couple lost one-year-old Oscar on June 19, 2014.

Now the pair from Kirtlington, near Bicester, have set up a charity, Thinking of Oscar, which aims to enhance the experience of young patients at the Oxford Children’s Hospital.

With community support growing, Mr and Mrs Cole hope to raise £100,000 through a series of fundraising events, including next weekend’s Blenheim Triathlon.

Mrs Cole, 41, said: “Right from the beginning when we were stood in the hospital, we decided we were going to set up a charity.”

Oscar was born on February 6, 2013, a younger brother to Holly, now four.

Mr Cole, 35, added: “He was a lovely baby and toddler, very robust and very easy.”

After a long period of mild flu symptoms, Oscar was admitted to hospital.

He contracted Encephalitis, a rare condition that causes inflammation of the brain.

He died of a brain injury at the Bellhouse Drayson ward.

Mr Cole said: “I don’t know how to describe it – it feels like your whole world has come to an end.

“It was clear we wanted to do something in his memory but we weren’t entirely sure what that was.

“We want to make things a little bit easier for those unlucky enough to be in hospital.”

Late last year, Mr Cole set up a website, thinkingof oscar.com.

The charity has raised about £30,000 so far.

It trialled and is buying vein-finding technology for the children’s hospital, and has already provided lots of books and toys.

About 50 people, many of them Kirtlington villagers, and 12 children are taking part in the Blenheim Triathlon on behalf of Thinking for Oscar.

Mr Cole said: “The level of support we have got made us feel we could really achieve something.”

A charity cricket weekend is being held today and tomorrow, which will see Kirtlington village and Middleton Stoney Cricket Club take on Leigh Cricket Club, Mr Cole’s home team from Surrey. This will be followed by a charity auction.

For the anniversary of Oscar’s death on Thursday, June 18, the Coles will plant flowers in the garden in blue and yellow, the Thinking of Oscar colours.

Mrs Cole gave birth to a healthy baby boy, Barney, at 6.19am last Tuesday.

She said: “Every part of our life, except for Oscar, is richer now.

“We can do something that makes a real difference to the world.”

Tony McDonald, divisional general manager for children’s and women’s services at the OUHT hospital trust, said: “We are immensely grateful to David and Hannah for all their fundraising endeavours on behalf of Oxford Children’s Hospital.

“The support they have provided and commitment they continue to show to the hospital, despite the tragic circumstances they faced with the passing of Oscar, is truly inspirational to all of us.”

For more information, visit thinkingofoscar.com