ILMINSTER NEWS: Fred celebrates 80th birthday by supporting charity

ILMINSTER man Fred Oliver decided against wanting any gifts from family or friends to celebrate his 80th birthday but, instead, have donations in aid of the School in a Bag charity.

Fred’s request for donations amounted to a whopping £320 and he went along to the charity’s HQ in Chilthorne Domer near Yeovil on Tuesday (February 7, 2017) to hand over a cheque.

Luke Simon, founder of the School in a Bag charity, said: “This is a fantastic sum and we’d like to thank Fred and his very generous family and friends.

“It was great for Fred to come over to the office to hand in the cheque personally.”

The charity, which is part of the Piers Simon Appeal, sends off schoolbags packed with everyday school essentials such as pens and paper to children in disadvantaged countries around the world.

PHOTO – TOP: School in a Bag founder Luke Simon (right) with supporter Fred Oliver at the charity’s office in Chilthorne Domer.

The Piers Simon Appeal was first formed following the Boxing Day Asian Tsunami of 2004 which claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.

Among those killed was former Preston School and Yeovil College student Piers Simon, 33, who died after he was swept away by the giant waves when the tsunami struck in Thailand.

The Piers Simon Appeal was launched in his memory to help those lives shattered by the tsunami and out of that came the School in a Bag initiative which has now seen around 75,000 schoolbags distributed around the globe.

The Ilminster Press is delighted to be a supporter of this excellent charity.

For more information about the School in a Bag charity – click on their advert on the homepage of this website.

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