Boost for Holly's Dad's charity
KEVIN Wells has accepted a hefty donation from a Soham bank on behalf of a charity which helps children cope with bereavement.
Mr Wells, whose daughter Holly was murdered eight years ago, was invited by the town's Lloyds TSB branch to accept a 2,000 cheque for national charity Grief Encounter of which he is a patron.
The money was raised under the bank's match giving scheme where the Lloyds TSB Foundation matches funds collected by staff for different charities.
It will help fund another bereavement residential camp, first launched by the charity last year, enabling youngsters to get together and talk through the difficulties after losing someone close to them.
Mr Wells, a patron for Grief Encounter since 2003, said the amount raised was tremendous.
"It's a lovely generous offer and it will be put to good use," he said.
"Every penny will be spent wisely."
He added: "It is of course the kind of help we all hope that we will never need to consider.
"Sadly the reality is very much different. Every half an hour a child loses a parent somewhere in the UK. That figure does not take into consideration children, like my own son, who lost a sibling, or those that lose others close and significant from their lives.
"I was genuinely overwhelmed when my wife and I found out a charity like Grief Encounter existed and I am now proud to be their patron."
Staff at the High Street bank chose the charity to benefit from its fundraising scheme after it also helped bank manager Joanne Allwood and her young daughter when her husband died.
She said: "Kevin is a customer and we wanted to do something to support him. It was something close to my heart as my husband died five years ago."
The charity was set up more than six years ago by Shelley Gilbert, who lost both her parents at a young age, to help bereaved children deal with the loss of either a parent of sibling.
It receives no government funding and all the money raised goes towards counselling, workshops, bespoke support and other activities.
Mrs Gilbert said she was 'over the moon' about the bank's donation which would help the charity enormously.
"The staff have been amazing," she said.
"Kevin and Nicola really have been an absolute example of all our families of how to grieve gracefully and have always embraced our charity from the beginning.
"Unless you have actually been through it it's very difficult to understand the long-term effects of losing a sibling or parent."
For further information on the charity visit www.griefencounter.org.uk or contact 0208 446 7452.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Newmarket
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 22 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: East
