Memorial to tragic Dylan

Friends, firms and strangers have united in an outpouring of support for the family of six- year- old Dylan Hockley, whowaskilled in a school shooting in America.

Dylan’s parents Ian and Nicole Hockley, of Sandy Hook, in America, and his grandparents Thomas and Ivy Hockley, of Eastrea, near Whittlesey, have spent weeks planning a memorial fundraiser to be held on Saturday.

Along with members of their extended family, they hope to raise £ 10,000 in memory oftheir “beloved and cherished” Dylan.

Hundreds of pounds and a wealth of tombola prizes have been pledged to the Coffee Morning To Remember Dylan, at the Childers Social Club, in Station Road, Whittlesey.

Every penny raised will be donated to the National Autistic Society, to support children with autism in Peterborough and around the UK.

Wendy Lutkin, the sister of Thomas Hockley, Dylan’s grandad, who was a Whittlesey green- grocer for four decades, said purple balloons and a table of photographs would pay tribute to Dylan on the day.

She said: “Because Dylan was autistic we’re raising money for the Autistic Society.

“In America they’ve raised $ 2 million in memory of the children who died and we’re hoping to raise £ 10,000 here, and to make this a regular thing every year.

“Ian, Dylan’s dad, wanted us to do something for autism in this country, obviously it’s upsetting but we’re focusing on this event.”

Thomas and Ivy Hockley, have spent their spare time selling raffle tickets for the fundraiser in and around the city during the last fiveweeks.

Hundreds of pounds for the memorial were raised by Whittlesey bakery, the Muffin Oven cake, on March 8, in a cake sale to mark what would have been Dylan’s seventh birthday.

The Childers Social Club opens at 10am.