Modified car group in CRY run for ex-Deepings student Lucy
A group of car enthusiasts who drew about 600 people to a Spalding car park are putting fundraising plans into top gear to remember a Deepings student.
Members of Collide Car Club are organising a 50-mile modified car drive from Peterborough to Hunstanton in memory of Lucy Jessop (18), a former student at The Deepings School who collapsed and later died after suffering a cardiac arrest in February 2015.
Lucy was out jogging with a friend when the tragedy happened and one of her friends, Liam Kerr-Gray (21) whose club was behind a modified car meet in Sainsbury’s car park, Spalding, in June, is now organising the drive on Saturday, August 20, to help fund a day of heart screenings for youngsters.
Liam, of Peterborough, said: “We really wanted to do something for Lucy as she was a very close friend of mine and a lot of the people involved in the club.
“Lucy used to always hang out with us and after losing her to an unknown heart condition last year, we want to raise money to go towards research that will stop it happpening to someone else.
“There’ll be about 350 people on the drive on August 20 and we’re hoping to have Lucy’s car there too, as well as a collection for Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) on the day.
We really wanted to do something for Lucy as she was a very close friend of a lot of the people involved
“Anyone who is into cars wiil, we hope, happily help us to raise a lot of money for CRY.”
Tributes to Lucy came from friends and staff at the school, many of whom attended a Celebration of Life ceremony held at Crowland Abbey following her death.
Shortly after Lucy’s death, a tribute from The Deepings School said: “Lucy was an excellent ambassador for the school, an outstanding role model for younger students and an amazing person who was much loved by her family and friends, looked up to by her peers and respected by the staff.
“The Deepings School is devastated by the news of Lucy’s death and her positive, pro-active, intelligent and caring approach to life will be missed by all of us.
“We extend our heartfelt condolences to her family and the school is committed to honouring Lucy’s memory by living our lives to the full.”
Collide Car Club’s charity drive has the full support of Lucy’s mum, Tracey Jessop-Thompson who has been fundraising for CRY since her daughter’s passing.
Tracey said: “I think what Liam and his friends are doing is amazing because they were very good friends of Lucy’s.
“She loved her cars and she loved driving after she had passed her test.
“I am humbled and Lucy would have been too by the support we have had from her friends, family and the whole community.”
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