Wildern pupil defies brain tumour to help stage fundraiser

Nick Illston has enlisted the help of Wildern School in Hedge End to organise tomorrow’s Festival of Carols and Music at Winchester Cathedral.

The 19-year-old developed a brain tumour while he was studying for GCSEs at the school and he is still undergoing treatment.

He approached Alison Neasom, the community arts leader at Wildern School in Hedge End to co-ordinate the music for the festival.

It is particularly poignant for the school community as just two years ago inspirational head teacher Jeffrey Thelfall died from cancer.

Mrs Neasom said: “The school is very sensitive to cancer because it has affected those close to us including our former head teacher.

“We are all now much more aware of the disease and, when the request went through to head teacher Mary-Lou Litton for me to co-ordinate the evening, she did not question it at all.

“Preparing for the event at Winchester Cathedral has been a real privilege and everyone had offered their time for nothing to support the cause,” she said.

“We all want to do whatever we can to help raise as much money as possible for this amazing charity,” said Alison, who has taught at the school for nearly 20 years.

She admitted that losing a pupil to cancer had been one of the defining moments of her teaching career.

“She was an amazing girl who really got the most out of life. It brought home to me that we are not immortal, sometimes life is unfair and you really do have to make the best out of what you have,” she said.

Money raised will go towards Southampton General Hospital’s new Teenage Cancer Trust unit.

X Factor finalists Same Difference, local choirs, and Daily Echo columnist Sally Taylor will all take part.

Tickets cost £30, £20, £15 (half price for under 16s) and are available from the Cathedral box office on 01962 857275. The performance starts at 7.15pm.