A BRING-AND-BUY sale is to be held at a Gwent school on Thursday in memory of a pupil who tragically drowned last month.
Jamie-Lee Wilson Cartwright, aged eight, who lived at Beachley, near Chepstow, with his family since February last year, died after he and his nine-year-old cousin, Kyle, were washed from rocks in a dangerous stretch of water on mud- flats.
He was a pupil at Offa's Mead School, near Chepstow, where pupils are to raise money for the Severn Area Rescue Team (SARA). Both boys were pulled from near Beachley Point, close to Chepstow, by members of the SARA inshore rescue team.
They were airlifted by RAF search-and-rescue helicopter to Bristol's Frenchay Hospital but attempts to revive Jamie-Lee failed.
Deputy head teacher at Offa's Mead Ceri Pini said: "We wanted the children to do something and they have really come up with the idea to raise money this way.
"It really is the children's project."
Jamie-Lee had not been a pupil at the school for very long but his death had a great impact on the school and local community.
Ms Pini added: "It was a very strange time, particularly for his class. He hadn't been with us very long but he was a sweet little chap."
All the money raised will go to the SARA at the request of Jamie-Lee's parents, Peter, a corporal in the Green Howards regiment, and his wife, Nicola. The group, which is manned by volunteers, launched a £300,000 fundraising campaign to extend its operations on the River Severn and help make youngsters aware of the lethal tides.
They also hope to complete an original plan for a boathouse in Beachley. The bring-and-buy sale starts at around 2pm for the children, and will be open to the public from 2.30pm in the main hall.
The 190 children at the school will man book stalls and toy stalls, with parents helping out by making cakes.
Peter Wischhusen, SARA's fundraising officer, said: "We really welcome contributions to help us. Every pound from the local community makes a difference."
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