Parents’ fundraiser in memory of son

A mother and father have lovingly restored a collection of furniture for a fundraiser in memory of their son.

Iain Farrell, from Dorney, died in May 2019 after getting difficulty in the water while coasteering at Dancing Ledge on Dorset’s Jurassic Coast.

The 49-year-old had been swimming alongside the coast’s rocky outcrops as part of an organised trip with his two teenage sons.

Rescue crews from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) rushed to the scene and helped to pull out members of the group from the water.

Iain’s parents, John and Kathy Farrell, have spent the winter months restoring and upcycling furniture for a fundraiser in support of the RNLI.

John, who lives in Eton Wick, said: “Most of them (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) are volunteers and they need all the money they can get.

“Although they didn’t actually save Iain, they were called out and they pulled all the other people out of the sea who were in his group.”

He added: “What my wife and I have been doing to keep us busy through the winter is buying and receiving furniture and then buying paint, sandpaper and restoring stuff.

“Anything from tables, chests of drawers, small seats and we’ve got a couple of rocking horses we’ve done. Every time I think we’re finished my wife says ‘let’s go and get some more stuff’.”

The lovingly restored furniture will be available to buy at a charity sale which is taking place at Dorney

Village Hall on Sunday, May 5.

All proceeds from the event, which starts at 11am, will go towards supporting the RNLI.

John added: “This is the first fundraiser we’ve done and we’ve got a load of posters printed out in the RNLI colours.

“100 per cent of all the money we raise will go to the RNLI.

“Our contribution has been buying the paint, sandpaper and a new sander.”