Thurston/Drinkstone: Cash raised in mother’s memory is donated to dog charity
Maureen Ollett with granddaughter Amelia. Money raised in Mrs Ollett's memory has been donated to the Dogs Trust. - Credit: Contributed
THE FAMILY of a mother who died from cancer have seen her wish fulfilled by presenting money raised in her memory to a charity which rehomes dogs.
Maureen Ollett, who had worked at the post office in Thurston, was diagnosed with breast and liver cancer in 2007 and passed away on September 1 last year aged 57.
Her daughter Jo Wallis said her mother’s dog Bethany, which she had rehomed from the Dogs Trust centre at Snetterton in 2004, had given her great comfort while she was ill.
Mrs Wallis, 27, from Elmswell, said her mother said when she died she wanted any money in her name to be donated to the Dogs Trust to help the charity continue its work.
On Tuesday Mrs Ollett’s husband Graham, from Thurston, and their daughters Mrs Wallis and Liza Putwain and granddaughter Sophie presented the £1267.24 raised to the centre at Snetterton.
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Mrs Wallis said: “She [Bethany] was a rock for mum really. Mum’s always had dogs. From the moment mum got Bethany they just clicked.”
She said when her mother was undergoing chemotherapy treatment which made her extremely ill Bethany, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier cross, sat with her every day, whether she was on the sofa or lying on the bed. “Beth was by her side, always there and you could tell from the way Beth was acting how mum was feeling, right up to the end of mum’s life.”
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Instead of flowers at her funeral Mrs Ollett asked that money be donated to the Dogs Trust, and Thurston Post office also managed to raise about £600.
Mrs Wallis said: “We never thought it would be that much. When Thurston Post Office rang to say they had had their collection back and how much they raised we were just amazed.
“I think people believed in mum and wanted to give to mum and help her, and to the dogs as well. They knew how much Bethany meant to mum from the day she got her.”
She added her mother, who is buried in Drinkstone where the family’s farm is, “would be really proud” of the amount achieved.
Kate Brewster, a supporter relations officer at Dogs Trust Snetterton, said: “We are really, really grateful. It’s a huge amount. Obviously it costs a lot to run the site.”
She said the centre at Snetterton had 46 kennels, which were always full, and looked after 70 to 80 dogs at a time.
The money donated in Mrs Ollett’s name will go towards general running costs, Mrs Brewster said.
To adopt a dog or to donate money visit www.dogstrust.org.uk. The centre at Snetterton can be contacted by calling 01953 498377.
