The shining stars in our community

The Eastgate Centre has thrown its support behind our Best of Basildon campaign by nominating community heroes who deserve to hold the title themselves.

War veteran Don Sheppard, Burned Children’s Club founder Pat Wade, and St Luke’s Hospice founder Trudy Westmore-Cox were all handed custom-made trophies during a special awards ceremony at the shopping centre, in Basildon town centre.

They have all worked with the Eastgate since it fist opened its doors three decades ago, regularly teaming up with the management for fundraising events.

Mike Horton, marketing and promotions manager at the centre, said: “Every town has its community heroes – those who have dedicated themselves to improving the lives of others.

“In Trudy, Pat and Don, Basildon has three outstanding examples of such people, each of whom Eastgate has known for many years and we feel deserves the accolade of ‘Best of Basildon’.

“We are honoured to have been associated with these three shining stars within our community.

“We would also encourage other commercial organisations in Basildon to identify those they know to havemade similar contributions and reward them in the same appropriate manner.

“They all deserve our sincere thanks and gratitude on behalf of those they have helped within the district and further afield.”

Echo editor Chris Hatton, who presented the awards, added: “Throughout south Essex, there are many hundreds of people who give up their time to make their communities a better place.

“They are nothing short of inspirational. What would we do without these people? They are truly our heroes.”

The Echo launched its Best of Basildon campaign in February, in a bid to promote community sports and civic pride and celebrate all that is good about our borough.

We have been working with Basildon Council to shine a light on the good points of Basildon, and dispell the myths and stereotypes about a place thousands of people call home.

• The Echo and the Eastgate Centre want to take the community heroes initiative forward. Any businesses or groups can produce trophies to those who make a difference. The Echo will cover all events and dedicate a page to the inspirational stories of winners. Contact Echo editor, Chris Hatton, for more information at echo.editor@nqe.com

I didn’t expect burns club to get so big

DETERMINED Pat Wade has helped turn around the fortunes of hundreds of young burns victims over the past two decades.

The mum-of-three, who is now 68, set up the Burned Children’s Club in 1995 while she was working as a nurse at St Andrew’s Hospital, in Billericay, a specialist burns unit which later moved to Broomfield Hospital, in Chelmsford.

The idea came about after a brief conversation with a doctor when two badly burnt children were brought into the unit.

Mrs Wade, who was made an MBE in 2004, said: “The consultant had just come back from America and said it would be good if we had something over here to look after children who had suffered burns, and I honestly don’t really know what happened after that.

“I never expected it to get so big.

“The family has been involved in the Burned Children’s Club...they didn’t really have a choice!

“It’s been very time consuming over the years and even though I’ve technically retired now, I’m still heavily involved in all the activities.

“It’s nice because I get to spend time with the children and families still, but without as much stress.

“I’ve watched these children grow up into such lovely, confident young adults and I feel very proud.”

The charity, run from her home in Middle Crockerford, Vange, helps young burn survivors overcome the trauma of what they have been through, and promotes self-esteem to help them come to terms with their altered body image.

Support is also given to their parents and siblings.

The Burned Children’s Club hosts annual activity breaks to enable the youngsters escape day-to-day life, and recently the charity has been working closely with acid attack victim Katie Piper.

The former model, who is now a successful television presenter and runs her own foundation, was the victim of an acid attack, in 2008, which left her with severe burns and scars over her face and body.

She supplies wigs, which are made from real hair, to members of the Burned Children’s Club for free, runs make-up classes for them and has invited the girls she has met at the charity to join her on the catwalk.

The Burned Children’s Club survives through fundraising efforts, donations and grants.

It received an unexpected £13,733 cash boost from ITV in the wake of the television channel’s premium rate phone scandal in 2008. In the same year former footballer Rodney Marsh donated £18,000 from his I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here fee to the charity.

Speaking about receiving the Best of Basildon accolade, Mrs Wade said: “It was lovely to find out I was getting a Best of Basildon trophy. The charity has been associated with the Echo from the very beginning, so it really does mean a lot.

“In fact, I was sat with former Echo reporter Pat Stone when I came up with the name for the club.

“It’s strange because we’re a Basildon charity, but we’re probably more well known everywhere else in the country!”

The Burned Children’s Club will celebrate its 20th anniversary with a party at the Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, at Sun Corner, Billericay, on Saturday, June 20.

Wat vet Don praises our town

DON Sheppard might be nearing his 95th birthday, but he is in no rush to slow down.

The Second World War hero, of Methersgate, Basildon will spend his big day in Holland, commemorating the 70th anniversary of the end of the war alongside fellow vetrans.

Don, chairman of the local branch of the Normandy Veterans Association, dedicates his time preserving Britain’s history and educating youngsters about the war.

He also promotes the poppy appeal and tirelessly fundraises for the Royal British Legion.

He said: “There aren’t many of us left anymore, but we can’t let people forget about what this country went through. I go into schools and I talk to the children. I tell them why the war started and give them an insight into what it was like being part of it. We need to educate the younger generation.”

Don, a former Royal Engineer, fought on the beaches of Normandy in the D-Day landings of June 1944, when Allied troops landed in occupied France.

Later that year, he was in the thick of the Battle of Arnhem, in Holland. His regiment faced a tough fight and thousands of losses, but Don managed to make it across the Rhine and helped capture the German heartland four months later.

He also helped liberate the Bergen Belsen death camp, where thousands of Jewish prisoners, as well as political prisoners and gypsies, had been massacred by the Nazis.

In 2008, he astounded medics at Basildon Hospital after a chest scan revealed he has been walking around with German shrapnel wedged in his lungs for more than 64 years.

He had some tense times dodging bombs, bullets and shrapnel during his in the war, but considered himself lucky to return home unscathed – although he did have a near miss when his regiment battled to secure Pegasus Bridge near Ouistreham, France.

Don, a devoted father and grandad, might be adorned with medals, but he was still honoured to be handpicked for a Best of Basildon trophy.

He said: “The Eastgate Centre has been fantastic to us over the years, always letting us do collections here. I never thought I would qualify for anything like this, there are so many people in Basildon who do great things for the community.”

Trudy’s hospice mission

TRUDY Westmore-Cox made it her mission to set up a hospice after 26 years working as a district nurse.

The devout Catholic, who is originally from Germany, became aware of a gap in the care for terminally ill people across Basildon and Thurrock in 1983 aftet encountering a man whimpering like an animal in his home because he was in so much pain.

She also watched as a mother, dying of cancer, was burdened by the guilt of being unable to care for her children at Christmas, and the worry of what would happen to them when she died.

She started off with just 25p to help her dream become a reality, but 25 years after St Luke’s Hospice opened its doors, it is bigger than ever.

The base, in Nethermayne, has eight in-patient bedrooms offering respite breaks and endof- life care, as well as a popular day hospice.

St Luke’s House, in Lampits Hill, Corringham, provides therapy and support services.

The organisation, which now costs £3million a year to run, also offers a hospice at home service.

Mrs Westmore-Cox, 78, who founded St Luke’s alongside late husband Les, is still patron of the charity.

She said: “When we first started, we only had 25p. We went through a really tough time, but nowwe’ve got a £4million hospice. Whenever I drive past, it just doesn’t seem real to me. The people of Basildon and Thurrock really own St Luke’s, it was built by the community, for the community.

“I saw so many patients in pain, and their families in tears.

You might not always be able to make people better, but you can support them.”

Mrs Westmore-Cox, who went on to marry Derek Westmore, who acts of official photographer for St Luke’s, said that at one point, she and the founding committee members remortaged their homes to cover a shortfall in funding, and the Cox family ended up moving on to the Fobbing Farm site for five years to oversee building work and look after the first patients.

The lease for the land was signed in 1985, but it took four years for building work to begin, and another 12 months before St Luke’s Hospice was unveiled.

Princess Diana made a special visit to the facility shortly after it opened in 1990.

Speaking about her Best of Basildon award, she said: “I was always get embarrassed with things like this. The only thing I may deserve is staying power when times get tough. I don’t have much confidence so I have always thought it strange God picked me to do this.”