After 5 months of collecting bricks and planning with LEGO enthusiast Steph Porter, the PPBF will be unveiling a life-size LEGO bench at St Martin’s Primary School to honour the memory of the late Matthew Girard.
Matthew was just 12 years old when he died of cancer in 2020, and the charity has been working closely with his mum, Sarah Girard, to create something special for the school community in recognition of his love for LEGO.
At 11.00am on Friday 3rd July, the bench will be presented to islanders at the front of St Martin’s Primary after a few words from Project Manager Sammy Meerveld, Mrs Clare Giles, Headteacher and Sarah Girard.
Shortly after the unveiling, there will also be a LEGO raffle to raise funds for the PPBF’s work to help premature babies and critically ill children, drawn by Sarah Girard and Matthew’s twin sister, Grace.
The project has involved the collection of 10,000 pre-loved LEGO bricks, donated by islanders. During the lead up to the unveiling, both students and teachers will have the opportunity to place their own brick on the bench.
Jo Priaulx, PPBF co-founder said: “The idea of the memorial bench has been in the works for some time, so this is going to be a big moment for Sarah and her family. The bedroom in Frankie’s Den, one of our Southampton based flats, is LEGO themed in honour of Matthew so it’s very special to have something here on the island that can be enjoyed by the community. Thank you to everyone who has worked tirelessly to bring this vision to life.”
Pictured: Left to right – Steph Porter (spotted top), Tina Holmes (Matthew’s former teacher), Sammy Meerveld (PPBF), Grace Girard (Matthew’s sister), Sarah Girard (Matthew’s mum) and Koby (PPBF volunteer).
