Stratford singer is walking 300km for charity after big sister’s tragic death

A STRATFORD singer songwriter is walking 300km in memory of her “brilliant big sister”.

Liz Lawrence’s hike across Ireland will raise up to £10,000 for the charity where her sister Jessie worked for eight years.

Liz’s sister Jessie Lawrence died in a tragic accident in August, while on holiday in County Mayo, Ireland with her partner and two daughters aged six and four.

The 35-year-old mum-of-two fell down the stairs during the night and was rushed to hospital but died of her injuries a few days later.
Liz, who’s already raised £7,000 for Leamington-based charity St Basils, plans to trek with her partner Rebecca Nicholson from Dublin to the peak of Croagh Patrick, a pilgrimage site close to where Jessie was staying.

She said: “Jessie was a very generous person, an amazing mum and a brilliant big sister. She had a wicked sense of humour and was really fun and energetic.”

Liz, whose trek from the east to the west coast of Ireland will take three to four weeks, has played support to top bands such as Bombay Bicycle Club and Scouting for Girls, as part of Cash + David.

She is also a successful solo artist and is touring the UK next month, after releasing a new album.

Jessie, her partner Graham Toney and their daughters Orlagh and Rhona, were staying near the home of Jessie and Liz’s grandfather when the accident happened.

The funeral service for Jessie took place at St Gregory’s Church on 9th September.

Liz said the family, including Jessie’s parents Graeme and Johanna Lawrence, who also live in Stratford, are “broken hearted” but have pulled together to support Jessie’s little girls. We talk about what happened and we talk about Jessie a lot,” she said. “It’s tremendously difficult but Graham is being there for the kids.

“We’re a very close family and are all coming together to support the kids in every way we can, keeping an eye on them and hoping they know we are always there for them.

“We’re all trying very hard to take some of Jessie’s spirit of making the world a bit better and thinking of ways we can channel that and create some goodness.”

A statement from St Basils posted on social media described Jessie, who was a former St Benedict’s School pupil, as ‘our beloved friend and former colleague’.

It said: “Jess was adored by all the young people she worked with, often going the extra mile to help others.

“She had a way of making everyone feel valued and heard.

“When young people moving out of our accommodation services found out that Jess would be their floating support worker, they'd cheer and know that she would be fighting their corner. This is testament to her amazing character.”

Jessie’s brother Oscar, 29, is also fundraising for St Basils in her memory and will run a marathon in Seville at the end of February.

Liz added: “My heart is broken and I’d like to walk through the beautiful country she loved so well where her soul now rests, knowing I am making a difference to the people she cared for so much. It will be nice for people to hear about how brilliant Jessie was and to raise as much money as possible. We’ve got big shoes to fill.”

To donate, go to Just Giving and search on ‘Walking across Ireland in memory of Jessie’
https://www.justgiving.com/page/coasttocoastforjessie and ‘Running the Seville Marathon in memory of Jessie Lawrence’ https://www.justgiving.com/page/runningforjessie