The dying wish of a Shrewsbury cancer victim is to be fulfilled after her husband set up a charity to bring a dilapidated play area on a tiny Greek island back to life.
Chris Hollick, who ran Copy-write print shop on High Street with her husband Allan for more than 20 years, died on August 6 at the Severn Hospice in Bicton Heath, just four days after her newly-wed daughter Lucie returned from her honeymoon in Turkey.
She had already defied the expectations of doctors, who had claimed she would not live to see the wedding on July 25.
Now her husband Allan has launched a new charity called the Trikeri Playground Project and is hoping to raise £25,000 to bring the area back to life – in honour of Chris. The couple spent the last four years holidaying on the island, and saw the shore-side playground every day they were there. Before Chris died Allan pledged to restore it.
Chris was diagnosed with endometrial cancer in October 2006, and more than 500 people attended her funeral service at Shrewsbury Abbey.
She also leaves daughters Katie and Lizzie.
Around £9,000 has already been raised for the appeal, and a garden party held in Ford raised £3,500, which was split between the Severn Hospice and the Trikeri Playground Project. It is hoped work can start on the playground in spring 2009.
Mr Hollick said: “We’ve had so much help from friends and we can’t thank staff at the Severn Hospice enough for how well they cared for Chris.
“We talked about the playground in Trikeri before Chris died and she was so pleased with the idea of restoring the area. We used to see it on the way to the tavernas every night in Trikeri and it will make such a difference to the small community there.”
For further information email Allan Hollick on allanhollick@msn.com and to make donations go to Copy-write Print Shop, 5 High Street, Shrewsbury.