Community rallies round to support fire victims

Residents of Bradley Stoke and the surrounding area have rallied round to support families affected by a tragic house fire that claimed the lives of two young children.

Charlie and McKenzie Whitton, aged five and seven, died after fire broke out at their home in Merryweather Close at around 6am on Saturday 19th March. Their parents, Lee and Alex, managed to escape the blaze along with their other children Thomas, aged nine, and six-month-old Jak.

Neighbours Linda and Rebecca Ashley have now set up the Lee and Alex Gift Fund to raise money for the families affected by the fire. All the money raised will be given to Lee and Alex Whitton and the families in two adjoining properties in Merryweather Close, to use as they see fit.

Full details of how to contribute to the fund can now be found on The Journal’s Merryweather Close Fire Victims Appeal Fund page.

Elsewhere, four ladies from the wider community are organising a fundraising event in the ballroom of the BAWA Club, Filton, on Saturday 23rd April. On the night there will be special guest appearances (names to be confirmed), local bands performing, disco, raffle and auction.

Doors open from 8pm; bar closes 12:30am; event ends 1am. Tickets (£10 for adults, £5 for children) are available by either contacting the organisers through their Facebook event page or telephoning Louise Keogh on 07545 034450 or Aimee England on 07413 799416.

Further details of the event and the tremendous support being given by local businesses are available on the Victims of Merryweather Bradley Stoke group page on Facebook.

Primary school to erect permanent memorial in grounds

Children at Stoke Lodge Primary School, attended by Charlie and McKenzie, have created a memorial area around a flagpole in the school grounds. The school has asked parents and pupils to start thinking about what sort of a permanent memorial they would like to remember the boys by, and a memory board has been set up to collect thoughts.

The school is asking for donations towards the permanent memorial and is also collecting money towards a present for surviving brother Thomas, a pupil in Year 4.

BSCS student to complete sponsored run in aid of fire appeal

Chloe Webster, a Year 7 student at Bradley Stoke Community School (BSCS), is doing a three mile sponsored run on Saturday 2nd April to raise money for the Whitton family.

Chloe is planning to run three miles around Bradley Stoke, finishing at BSCS, Fiddlers Wood Lane, where she will be met by a fire appliance from Avon Fire & Rescue.

If you would like to sponsor Chloe, please contact the school by email: admin@bradleystokecs.org.uk.

Let us know about your fundraising initiatives!

Are you staging an event to raise funds for the families affected by the fire? If so, please get in touch with The Journal and we’ll do all we can to bring your efforts to a wider audience.