A shopping centre’s fundraising has seen more than £600 handed over to the Dylan Cecil Memorial Fund.
Dylan was just four years-old when he fell into the sea while playing on Burnham-On-Sea’s jetty in August 2012.
After his death the Dylan Cecil Memorial Fund was formed to help under-privileged children and their families by providing respite holidays in the Burnham-On-Sea area.
Before this year five families had enjoyed holidays since the fund was created in 2015 but this year, thanks to the charity’s incredible efforts, six families alone will enjoy a break in the sun.
Now, after a summer of fundraising, the Newlands Shopping Centre in Kettering, where Dylan’s family live, has handed over two cheques to the fund for a total of £615.80 – meaning another family will enjoy a respite break.
Dylan’s grandad and charity trustee John Cecil said: “The Newlands Centre have been absolutely brilliant and they’ve been a great vehicle to get us out there, as have Kettering Town Football Club.”
“We are really grateful for all of their support. All of the work the charity does is through local people and word of mouth and we can’t thank them enough for helping us.”
He added that a recent horse racing night at the Poppies’ home ground Latimer Park had raised a further £600 for the fund.
Newlands Centre manager Neil Griffin said: “It’s been a great pleasure working with people who have been through such a tragedy. We would like to thank the support of the customers of the Newlands Shopping Centre for their generous donations and support for this worthwhile charity.”
Burnham’s marine rescue crews were called out on August 19th, 2012 at 6pm following reports of a young boy in the water next to Burnham’s jetty. Tragically, while he was playing in the shallow water on the jetty, Dylan had slipped and fallen into the sea.
His mother and father attempted to rescue him by jumping into the water and also nearly became victims of the strong incoming tidal currents. Within seconds, Dylan had been carried out to sea.
Burnham-On-Sea Coastguards, RNLI and BARB crews undertook a full-scale search in an attempt to find him and the teams returned every day until Dylan’s body was sadly found washed up by a walker near the yacht club on August 23rd, 2012.
