Tom Wilkinson VC Statue Appeal

Article originally appears on http://www.thetomwilkinsonvcstatueappeal.co.uk/

When I first started on my quest for three statues for three local men who were each awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest possible military award for Valour in January 2010, and, throughout each appeal, only one family company has stood by me and each appeal. Anthony’s Travel in Runcorn.

All because of a chance email about my first appeal for Todger Jones VC DCM to Anthony’s Travel, Richard Bamber read my email and invited me down to his office where I met Richard and his Dad Tony, I first met Tony in the early 70’s, he used to make me laugh, and he still made me laugh almost 40 years later. It turns out Ann Bamber, Tony’s wife was related to Todger in one way or another.

Tony Bamber was a very generous man with his money, but more importantly his time, time is the greatest gift anyone can give to someone else, and Tony was more than generous with his time. Everyone who had met Tony will know exactly what I am talking about.

Tony and Anthony’s travel donated a very large sum of money to The Todger Jones statue appeal. Not only money, but advice, kept my spirits up when no donations were coming in, that was priceless to me.

My second statue appeal for Sgt. Thomas Mottershead VC DCM, again I had the same help from Tony and Richard, moreso Richard as Tony became very ill, Richard worked hard behind the scenes, Tony kept making me laugh, in between giving advice, more laughs than advice.

Richard made another very generous donation to that appeal, not only that, he paid for a Blue Plaque to be placed on Tom’s birth place, 6 Vine street Widnes. In the meantime Tony became increasingly ill and tragically succumbed to his illness, this was a major blow not only to Tony’s family, but everyone who had the pleasure of meeting him.

Richard continued where his Dad left off, helping many others who needed help in one way or another, but Richard by now had someone else to help him through the rough times with the loss of his Dad, his wife Dawn, she has also backed each appeal.

They have done so much behind the scenes for all three statue appeals I would be typing for another week to say what they have done !!!!!

They have refused publicity in many things they have done and the help they have given me with the appeals.

This is my way of saying thank you to a true local Runcorn family business who goes that extra mile to help others and gets no recognition for it, such is their modesty.

They maybe a small family company, but they are giants in helping others.

THANK YOU RICHARD & DAWN, NOT FORGETTING ALL YOUR STAFF FOR HELPING WITH EACH APPEAL.

For more information please visit the website – http://www.thetomwilkinsonvcstatueappeal.co.uk/