FRIENDS of a family who lost their teenage daughter are supporting a charity that helped them in their bereavement.
Author Josephine Davies, from Emersons Green, is donating royalties from sales of her book and her friend Sam Kings, of Downend, organised a charity dance event to raise money for Be More Ben, a charity that supports families affected by the death of a child.
They are fundraising in memory of Ellie Burbage, a former Emersons Green Primary School pupil, who died suddenly and unexpectedly on a family holiday two years ago, aged 17.
Ellie went to school with Jo’s children and, although she and her family moved to Keynsham, they remained friends.
Jo said: “Ellie was a vibrant and extraordinary young woman, and her loss left a profound impact on everyone who knew her.”
Ellie’s parents Jo and John have already raised more than £32,000 for cardiology research at the Royal United Hospital in Bath.
Jo Davies said: “Ellie had dreamed of becoming a doctor and this was a way that medical research could happen in Ellie’s name. They are now raising money for the fabulous charity Be More Ben, who continue to help and support Ellie’s family and other families in similar situations.”
Sam, who runs classes under the name Sam Dance Fit, made one of her sessions at Lyde Green Community Centre a charity event, added a fundraising raffle, and raised £869.
Jo said the event was particularly appropriate as Ellie loved to dance and was in a street dance group.
Jo expects to add at least £500 more to that total from sales of her children’s book A Sprinkle of Christmas Magic – she has been donating her royalties to Be More Ben throughout October.
Jo, who works in finance, started writing stories when her children were in primary school.
She didn’t do anything with them for years but has now published two this year.
Featuring the adventures of two camper vans, named Benny and Zoom, Jo has drawn on her experiences to create the stories, with the main characters based on her sons Ben and Thomas, niece Olivia and nephew Ollie, and her family’s VW type 2 camper van.
Jo said: “Ellie loved Christmas and she went to her school prom in our camper van, so I thought donating the proceeds from this would be a fitting tribute, doing something that supports her family.”
Be More Ben was founded by Shane and Sarah Pritchard, of Portishead, after the loss of their eight-year-old son Ben.
It has provided counselling, therapeutic support, meetings, groups, and activities for 750 families across the region who have lost a child.
A Sprinkle of Christmas Magic’can be found online at amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DYDK3H4R.
For more information on Be More Ben, visit Bemoreben.org
