Lee Rigby’s widow in Rotherham charity event

THE widow of soldier Lee Rigby joined forces with a Rotherham events firm to boost a charity which helped her after his murder.

Rebecca Rigby contacted MW Entertainments after being impressed by their support for Help For Heroes.

They have teamed up to raise the profile of Forces Support, which provides home and garden improvement for bereaved families of services personnel.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Rebecca (32) — mum to Lee’s four-year-old son Jack — said: “They do things that the lost member of the family would have done.

“It’s of those charities that’s relatively unknown and people haven’t heard of unless they’ve been in the situation we’re in or know someone who has.

“I’d never heard of them until they did the work for Lee’s mum and step dad. They completely transformed their garden and did some decorating.

“Then, after I moved, they did some decorating for us and built a play room for Jack, which he loves.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Rebecca, of Halifax, is a regional community fundraiser for Forces Support, which currently has an eight-month waiting list for projects.

She said: “It helped us a great deal. I used to look round and think I need to do this, that and the other. Now I feel I get to spend a lot more time with Jack. It takes a weight off.

“They like to make sure the children have the recreational time the might miss out on otherwise.

“I’ve seen the garden makeovers they’ve done for other people too. I get a bit of garden envy with some of them.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

MW Entertainments, based at Templeborough, is run by Mick Mangham and Sean Wallage, who have raised more than £90,000 for Help For Heroes.

The pair bumped into Rebecca while at a James Blunt gig at Doncaster Racecourse last August, and she later tracked them down to discuss Forces Support.

Bramley-born Mick’s forthcoming second book — called Benidorm Bound — will be dedicated to Lee and a festive fundraiser is planned at the racecourse on December 29.

Their efforts will build towards a big celebration ball about Lee’s life next May, three years after the fusilier was brutally murdered in Woolwich, London.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Sean (32) said: “We arranged to meet up about eight weeks ago, had a chat and talked about a couple of ideas for us to get involved with Forces Support.”

Mick (55) described the book is “fact, fiction and information” — comprising true stories of their celeb events, a fictional account of him moving to Spain and a few travel tips.

He added: “I always had the idea of doing a second book, after Room for Heroes was successful.

“It’s a bit of fun and it will help our main aim, to help the charity get up to the next level. We’ve set a target of raising £10,000 for them.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Rebecca (32) said: “I want Forces Support to be able to keep going and cut their waiting time, because eight months is an awful long time.”

The book is out on September 27, priced at £6.50 with a minimum of £2 going to Forces Support. For more about the charity, visit www.forcessupport.org.uk.

Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice