FRIENDS of a teenage car crash victim have raised almost £3,000 in her memory.
Rastrick High School pupils Erika Leadbeater, Alice Enderby, Shoni Gale and Fiona Nicolson organised the sponsored walk in memory of their friend Shannen Harker.
The 15-year-old died alongside dad Stephen Rushworth when his car crashed in Bailiff Bridge, Brighouse, last August.
On the first anniversary of Shannen’s death, 70 friends and family joined the teenagers for the seven-mile walk.
The group began with a service at Rastrick Cemetery, before walking past the site of the crash and on into Brighouse.
Dressed in tops bearing Shannen’s picture, the girls collected cash along the way to boost funds.
The money raised was matched by the Huddersfield branch of TK Maxx, taking their total to just under £3,000.
The cash will be split between The Joseph Salmon Trust and West Yorkshire Forget Me Not Trust, which plans a children’s hospice in Brackenhall.
Erika’s mum Julie Leadbeater, who is store manager at the branch, said: “The girls wanted to do something to mark the anniversary of Shannen’s death and a sponsored walk seemed an ideal thing.
“It was heart-breaking, but fantastic to see so many people in the community getting involved and helping raise money for such a good cause.
“It was also a nice thing for the company to be able to support two very worthy local charities.”
The Marsh-based Joseph Salmon Trust helps families who have lost children meet funeral and associated costs.
The charity helped Shannen’s family when she died.
Neil Salmon, who set up the charity with wife Rachael after their three-year-old son Joseph died, said: “It is fantastic that they (Shannen’s family and friends) have taken the time to raise money to help other families who go through what they’re going through.
“The money given covers our overheads for 12 months, which is really good news as it means we can continue to operate without taking anything out of the money that people raise.”
