The sudden passing of Mark Hiscock, a beloved grandfather and army veteran, has prompted his grandchildren to launch a community fundraising campaign. Mark, aged 58 and a resident of Ludgershall for 42 years, tragically passed away on Tuesday, August 1, after being admitted to Salisbury Hospital due to chest pains.
In an inspiring display of solidarity, siblings Callum and Maisie Holmes, aged 14 and 13 respectively, have taken it upon themselves to support the family in covering the funeral expenses, which exceeded £4,000. Upon overhearing their family’s concerns about the financial burden, they immediately sprung into action. Callum and Maisie devised a plan to assist their Ludgershall neighbours by offering their services for various “odd jobs,” including gardening and dog walking.
The aim was to raise funds not only to alleviate the funeral costs but also to contribute to the British Heart Foundation. Additionally, Callum has committed to participating in the Andover Parkrun, while Maisie is organizing a cake sale as part of their charitable efforts.
Expressing his motivation, Callum stated, “I felt a strong desire to contribute, so we’ve been helping out with small tasks for people. It’s a wonderful feeling to make a difference.” He fondly remembered his grandfather, who was a former cadet and a member of the Royal Corps of Signals in the British Army, sharing stories of his military career and even passing on his army cap.
Callum reminisced, “One of my cherished memories with my grandad is when he picked me up from primary school in his wheelchair with a buggy board attached to the back. He had me, Maisie, and our uncle Jack, who is a year older than me, on the back. It was such a delightful experience.” Maisie chimed in, saying, “Our goal is to raise funds for my grandad’s funeral and contribute to the British Heart Foundation. I miss my grandad deeply, and his memory will forever stay with me.”
Kirsty Holmes, Mark’s daughter and the mother of Callum and Maisie, paid heartfelt tribute to her father, describing him as a “gentle and generous man who always lent a helping hand to those in need.” She expressed immense pride in her children’s initiative, stating, “I’m so so proud not may children can stand there and do it Callum and Maisie had so many ideas and have a busy weekend ahead of them its at Tidworth Park run cake sale ,race and boot sale we have so many making cakes in Ludgershall chella bakes and winnie bakes lots of donations for boot sale 2 car full and more coming they raising money for funeral fund and British heart foundation“.
The determined youngsters have also begun collecting items for a future car boot sale and have already raised an impressive £130. If you wish to support their fundraising endeavours, you can visit their campaign page on their GoFund Me page.
