Steve Cram's Celebrity Golf Day in aid of COCO
Do you fancy yourself as a keen golfer? Join Steve Cram, COCO and a host of celebrities for our golf day on the 15th June at the magnificent De Vere Slaley Hall in Northumberland. For more details and to enter a team please click here.
Watoto: February - Supporters of the Month
Tuesday 16th February 2010
On the 6th December 2000, 24 year old Oliver Vernon was tragically killed in a car accident in Botswana.
Oliver's parents Chris and Susan Vernon are both keen marathon runners and they discovered COCO through Cramtags and were impressed by what COCO do.
After Oliver's death, Chris, Susan and Oliver's girlfriend, Caroline set up a Memorial Fund which raised £11,000. They chose to donate some of this towards COCO's Vocational Training Centre in Songea, Tanzania.
This month, in the 10th year of Oliver's passing, COCO have named a girls boarding house in Songea after Oliver. The account below demonstrates why this is such a fitting tribute to a much loved son, brother, boyfriend and friend.
Oliver's Story
Oliver was a keen sportsman, loved children and animals but not his schoolwork as much! He was Captain of the First Eleven football team and played for the Old Boys after leaving school.
Oliver started work at the Hurlingham Club in Fulham and from there attended Thomas Valley University in Ealing to get a degree in Leisure Management, which he achieved in 1998. He shared a flat in Ealing with 4 girls who cooked and washed for him in return for being picked up at any hour of the day or night. This he did willingly and this is why that it's fitting for the girls boarding house in Songea to be named after Oliver since he provided safe passage for the girls he lived with, this boarding house will keep the girls who live in it safe.
Oliver was offered a full-time job at Hurlingham but after 2 years he decided to travel the world with his girlfriend, Caroline and four South African friends, Sean and Brett (brothers), Michaela and Kate (sisters) who were all going out with each other. Three of them also worked at the Hurlingham.
The group left England for Egypt on the first leg of their journey and then flew to South Africa. They stayed a few days and then the group left for Namibia on 6th December 2000 but they got no further than Botswana. Tragedy struck and they crashed into a culvert killing the driver and three others, one of whom was Oliver. The three survivors, Brett, Caroline and Kate were seriously injured and spent many weeks in hospital in Johannesburg where they had been airlifted to when the accident happened. Thankfully, they all came through although each one lost a partner in the accident.
After Oliver's death, Chris, Susan and Caroline set up a Memorial Fund which raised £11,000. They raised a further £1193 at Chris and Susan's Ruby wedding celebration last year when they asked friends to donate to COCO rather than to buy them a gift.
Whilst Oliver's death was extemely tragic, his fund has made a difference to so many. A young disabled athlete, Search and Rescue dogs and a children's play area in Dulwich Park have all benefitted from Oliver's fund, not just COCO.
Oliver's family are delighted that the boarding house in Songea has been named after Oliver and they think he'd be chuffed if he knew.
COCO are grateful for Chris and Susan's continued support and hope that one day Oliver's family will be able to visit Songea and the Vocational Training Centre and see what a difference they have made to the lives of children who attend the school.
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