Fund opened after sad death of popular Ellen

Fund opened after sad death of popular Ellen

2 March 2016

A NEWCASTLE man has pledged to raise £2,000 for the Fire Service Benevolent Fund in response to the tragic death of 19 year-old Ellen Finnegan in January.

Ellen, a popular student at Assumption Grammar School, lost her life in a fire at her family home in Castlewellan.

An only child, she tragically lost her life on the third anniversary of her mother’s death, leaving her father Bartley bereft.

It is for this reason that Maurice Hale has launched a crowd funding appeal for the Fire and Rescue 

Service, which he hopes will demonstrate the community’s gratitude to its firefighters who fought to save Ellen.

Maurice, who has known Bartley Finnegan for a number of years, said he hoped the effort would help raise his spirits at a hugely difficult time.

“I wanted to show that we are keen to give something back to the firefighters who helped out that night,” he said.

“This is in Ellen’s memory and we have already had great support for the idea, with almost £600 already raised.”

Among those to donate to the crowdfunding appeal is Castlewellan man Gerard Finlay, who lost his home in a fire just three weeks before Ellen died.

Gerard said he felt compelled to contribute to Maurice’s appeal because of his own family’s gratitude to the local Fire Service for its assistance when their house fire began at Mill Hill.

Father of two Gerard, whose family has been left homeless by the blaze, said the fire was terrifying but the support of firefighters made a huge difference.

“We want to support them after the support they gave us,” he said.

“This appeal is really out of friendship to Bartley. It is a small gesture of our support.”

Anyone who would like to contribute to Maurice Hale’s fundraising appeal for the Fire Service Benevolent Fund may do so via the following link https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/maurice-hale?utm_id=98