TWO sisters who have been hugely supported by an extensive network of friends in raising funds for Prospect Hospice have committed to continue with their support, despite having far exceeded their original expectations.

Michaela and Kristy Rowland, both from Faringdon, have raised funds for the hospice in memory of their mum Rebecca Rowland, who was well known in Swindon for her role as InSwindon BID manager.

Rebecca died at the hospice in October 2014. Since then with the help of the charity’s fundraising team, the two sisters and their many friends have raised £11,805 for a dedicated ‘Bluebell’ tribute fund – a special type of fund, coordinated by the hospice to maximise the fundraising activities in memory of a loved one.

“We’re very proud of what we and our friends have managed to raise in memory of Mum,” says Michaela, 26, and have been really surprised at how people have not just supported us once but have continued to support our fundraising. It’s great that people still want to get involved and do different things to raise money for the fund.”

Among the highlights were the 12 months of challenges taken on by close friend Charlie Paradise, whose activity alone raised close to £2,000 for the hospice. “What Charlie did was amazing,” says Michaela. “She did her first triathlon, a half marathon, a Tough Mudder – she even didn’t drink alcohol for a month. We have all taken on fitness challenges we never thought we would do.”

Even younger members of the friends group have got involved in activities to add to the fund’s impressive total. Jacob Jackson, 15, raised £1,057 towards the fund – split between Prospect Hospice and children’s hospice Helen and Douglas House – through having his head shaved in front of his year group at Faringdon Community College.

“I don’t intend for it to be the last of my fundraising,” he says. “Next year I plan to do a skydive and Michaela and I have even discussed climbing Kilimanjaro in 2018.”

Kristy 24, is in no doubt how her mum would have felt about the astonishing commitment to fundraising shown by what the sisters call their ‘surrogate family’.

“She would have been incredibly proud,” she says, “and surprised at some of the things people have done in supporting us. People have been truly amazing.”

Prospect Hospice fundraiser Mike Kennedy thanked the sisters and their friends for their support. “They’ve been brilliant,” he says. “They’ve used the Bluebell Tribute Fund as a real focal point for their fundraising and it’s got so many people involved in raising funds in Rebecca’s memory. I am sure that she would have been very proud and we feel very proud of them too for all that they have achieved.”

To find out more about a Prospect Hospice Bluebell Tribute Fund in memory of a loved one visit http://www.prospect-hospice.net/Supporter/In-memorium-giving/Tribute-funds