Tradesmen flocking to finish Lee’s house
AN appeal to find tradesmen to help put the finishing touches on a retreat in memory of murdered soldier Lee Rigby has been inundated with support.
The family of Fusilier Rigby are in the process of creating a retreat for bereaved service families, in memory of the young soldier who was killed in 2013.
Lee Rigby House is almost complete and is expected to welcome its first families later this year.
Many tradesmen have already offered their services free of charge, including Keith Lawson, who runs his own blind firm and has donated the blinds for the first phase of the project.
On one of his latest visits, Keith noticed there were only three people working on the site at the time.
It inspired him to take to social media, to appeal for other skilled people to come forward to help complete the project.
Within 24 hours, Keith and his wife Kym were inundated with messages from people in a variety of trades, all offering to volunteer their products and skills free of charge.
The couple would still love to hear from anyone else who would like to offer support, especially as two more phases of the retreat will be built in future.
They are hoping to hear from tilers, bathroom fitters, landscapers, decorators and labourers in particular, as well as any firms who can give materials for the later phases.
The Lee Rigby Foundation is also appealing to anyone who can help supply curtains, bedroom and living room furniture, wooden flooring, a dining room table and chairs, landscaping, paving, duvets, kitchen equipment and cutlery and crockery.
Keith says he hopes the work of the foundation and the house will become the legacy by which people remember Lee, rather than the horrific way in which he lost his life.
He said: “It will be nice if we can remember Lee for the handsome young chap and much loved husband, father and son he was and that when people think of Lee, it’s with a smile on their face.
“We’ve had some amazing offers from all over the country.
“It’s been absolutely wonderful and quite emotional.”
Anyone who can help should contact the Lee Rigby Foundation on admin@leerigbyfoundation.org or head office on 01538 702949. Contact Keith on 07811 143793.