Burglars steal charity money - so more fundraising is planned to make up for it
Sonia Hood (on the left) and Julie Bickley are appealing for help after a Myton Hospice charity box containing more than �700 was stolen from Naturelle Hair and Beauty, 150, Emscote Road, Warwick. MHLC-21-01-13 skydive jan42
BURGLARS have stolen hundreds of pounds of money from a charity box in memory of an inspirational young man who recently died of a brain tumour.
So now the family and friends of Mat Davis have decided to take the plunge in a skydive to raise funds for the hospice that offered him such “tremendous care” in the last ten weeks of his life.
Mat Davis. who lived in Chase Meadow, Warwick, was just 23 when he died in November last year.
He had been diagnosed with inoperable cancer three years earlier but went on to be inspirational in his fight to make the most of all the time he had left - including completing a fundraising cycle ride from Land’s End to John O’Groats.
Now Mat’s mother and father, Jo and Tony Buckingham, have agreed to take part in a tandem skydive organised by their hairdresser friend Sonia Hood, in aid of Myton Hospice.
Sonia was spurred into organising the event after a charity box she kept in her shop, Naturelle Hair and Beauty on Emscote Road, Warwick, was stolen last week.
She said: “We know the box contained between £700 and £800 because all the staff asked customers to put money in it instead of giving their usual Christmas tips and we saw a lot of £20 notes donated.
“Now I want something good to come out of something bad.
“So far I’m one of about 30 who’ve signed up to take the skydive and we’re hoping we can make up all the money we’ve lost and add a good deal more if people will only sponsor us.”
The box was stolen, along with hair straighteners and other items, during a break-in at the shop recorded by a burglar alarm at 2.45am on Monday, January 14.
It was the fourth break-in in two years. Police are still appealing for witnesses. They did arrest a suspect but he was later released, without charge.
Mat’s mother Jo said: “We’re jumping out of a plane taking off from Hinton Airfield on March 2 because we want to raise money in memory of Mat and the tremendous care he received at Myton.”
So far Sonia, her partner Stephen Hussey, along with shop manageress Julie Bickley, their friend Jona Woodward and Mat’s sister Lauren Davis are among those who have signed up to take the 10,000 feet dive.
But only Jona is admitting to feeling nervous about his date with a plane and a parachute.
The 46-year-old former runner says: “Frankly, I’m petrified. I just hope that will make people dig deeper in their pockets to support us.”
Anyone wanting to find out more about the event, or sponsor the skydivers, can call into the shop at 150, Emscote Road, Warwick, or visit www.doitforcharity.com/matsskysurfers
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Saturday 25 May 2013
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