A community event organised in memory of a teenager who died after a workplace incident in Bury is set to help to improve his resting place.
Oliver Mawdsley, 17, died in February after a concrete block fell on him two weeks after he started work at M60 Skip Hire on Tile Street.
His mum Sam Nield, 37, from Bury, helped to arrange a family fun day at Hoyles Park on Huntley Mount Road last month to raise money for a bespoke headstone for Oliver.
Sam said: “It all went better than expected and had a good turnout. Oliver's auntie was offering head braiding and didn’t stop all day.
“I would like to say a huge thank you to Bury Topping Fold Tenants and Residents Association and The Golden Mosque, along with the wider community for coming together for the fun day.
“I also want to thank all the stall holders, catering vans, all of Oliver boxing coaches and the local fire brigade for helping make Oliver’s day extra special.”
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The event raised £2,407 with one of the catering vans in attendance donating all the money they took on the day back into the fund.
Sam will be designing the new headstone herself for Oliver’s memorial garden in Bury Cemetery.
The next fundraising day will take place at the Towler Inn pub on Walmsley Road on Sunday, August 25.
There are also donation buckets in several Bury pubs to help raise funds for a special community boxing event to celebrate what would have been Oliver’s 18th birthday early next year.
The former Tottington High School pupil was a keen boxer and spent time training at the Bury Defence Academy and Phoenix Health and Fitness Centre.
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Oliver’s girlfriend's father undertook a gruelling 16-hour challenge and raised £1,675 toward the wider fund.
Michael Simpson and friend Mark Snape, who are both ex Royal Marines, hiked more than 40 miles throughout the night from Chorley passing through Winter Hill, Belmont Tower and Darwin Tower.
Oliver's girlfriend Lilian wrote: “Oliver's current resting place is stunning, it is full of colour just like Oliver's personality was when he was here with us all.
“His family and friends sit with him night and day no matter the weather, so a beautiful headstone is what will only be right for Oliver, to match the beautiful young boy.”
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