A spectacular firework display to celebrate the New Year and commemorate the well-loved couple who ran Eades of Bath Greengrocers has raised over £8,500 thanks to the generosity of the Eades family, their friends and the public.
A significant donation from the total will be donated to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Royal United Hospitals Bath.
Mike Eades, son of Tony and Lyn sadly lost his parents within three weeks of each other last September. Tony and Lyn were head of the family, who for six generations had run Eades greengrocers and market gardeners behind the Royal Crescent on Crescent Lane.
Mike Eades said: “Just as Tony and Lyn lit up our community, my family and I are grateful to everyone who helped us light up the New Year’s sky in their honour.
“Because there were COVID restrictions regarding funerals we used our land at Swainswick to create a drive-in COVID safe sunset celebration of their lives last year as they loved fireworks. It was led by the Reverend Phillip Hawthorn and it was a truly moving tribute and one which we will never forget.
“It was then that l had the idea to organise a COVID safe crowd-funded New Year’s Eve fireworks display on the highest point of our land on Little Solsbury Hill in memory of my parents. I ran the idea past Rev. Philip and he coined it ‘New Year’s Eades’.
“It was a fantastic display and a memorable opportunity for everyone in the community to join together, to not only celebrate the New Year, but also say goodbye, as we did, to the loved ones we have lost. Thank you to everyone who made a donation on our Just Giving page. I’m pleased to be donating the majority of the money to the RUH where the staff looked after my parents.”
RUH Physiotherapy Team Leader, Caroline Ficke, who is part of the RUH Intensive Care Team, said: “We are truly grateful to Mike and everyone who donated to show their support. We will put the funds towards buying a rehab chair as we only have three in our department, one of which is very old and needs replacing so this is perfect timing.
“In physiotherapy, we use these specialist chairs to help patients in their rehabilitation process. By sitting patients up it helps improve their sitting balance and preserve their muscle strength. It also has a positive impact on their psychological well-being, their dignity and confidence. The chairs have wheels so we can take patients outside which helps them start to feel better with their recovery.”
Laura Cherry, Events and Community Coordinator said: “Our mission is to make a real difference to patients, their families and the staff at the Royal United Hospitals Bath and thanks to the incredible generosity of Mike and the local community, staff at the hospital will be able to go above and beyond for patients. We are incredibly grateful for each and every donation that has been made.”
If you are planning a fundraiser to support patients and staff at the RUH or would like to make a donation to The Forever Friends Appeal please visit: www.foreverfriendsappeal.co.uk or email: forever.friends@nhs.net
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