TWO years after a brain tumour claimed the life of their friend and colleague, an interior design team has collected nearly £18,500 for the hospice that cared for him when all hope of recovery was lost.

Railston staff selected Prospect Hospice as their charity of the year in January 2013 following Iain Robertson passing the previous winter.

They went on to hold an array of fundraisers which culminated in designers, contract managers and directors signing up to the Bath Half Marathon.

In just 12 months, the firm succeeded in raising a staggering £18,483.

The achievement was warmly welcomed by Iain’s wife Kerry, herself a designer at Railston.

“The company has been amazing and very supportive of me,” said Kerry, a mother-of-two.

“Because we were a couple working in the same place, they took care of us. And then they chose Prospect because they wanted to do it for their colleague.

“We did bike rides, cake sales and sold things on eBay and, whatever money we raised, the company doubled.”

Kerry and Iain’s second child, Harvey, was just six days old when the 50-year-old was admitted to Prospect Hospice in September 2012. He passed away two months later.

Not only did nurses look after Iain to the best of their ability but the family team supported Kerry through his illness and her grief in the months that followed his passing.

“I would not have been able to manage without Prospect,” added the 40-year-old. “I had just given birth and I had a three-and-a-half-year-old son, Thomas. Iain had lost the use of his legs and I would not have been able to look after him.

“They cared for Iain so I was able to stay his wife and have quality time with him. The nurses’ help allowed him to spend time with our little baby. They allowed us to do as much as we wanted to do.

“Andrea in the family team supported me for at least a year after. You just need to talk to someone who understands.

“To me Prospect is half way between a hospital and a hotel. I think people have a poor view of what a hospice is going to be like and I was the same. But it changed when we came to Prospect. It is an amazing place.”

Railston associate director Philip Arnett said: “This is by far the most we have raised for charity. Prospect Hospice looked after Iain throughout his treatment and therefore is a charity very close to our hearts. A massive amount of effort was put in by the Railston team to raise money for Prospect Hospice and the work that they do.”