A fundraiser has been set up for a red squirrel conservation charity in memory of a person who loved seeing them in the Lakes.
Rob Parsons, a 53-year-old farm worker and amateur photographer, set up a Just Giving page.
He is aiming to raise £500 for the Penrith District Red Squirrel Group, a charity close to his and to his late mother, Shirley Parsons, who died aged 88.
“I moved up from Cornwall about seven years ago and had never seen a red squirrel before – now we’ve got two that visit our garden regularly, they’re just fantastic to see.
“We used to collect my mum from Cornwall and bring her up, she always loved seeing them.”
He has, over the years, taken several photos of red squirrels, which the charity has used for publicity.
His mother’s legacy will in part be in the form of this fundraiser, and her many red squirrel ornaments have been donated for funds, he said.
“She’s always loved wildlife and always had Scottish Terriers.
“She was a member of the Scottish Terrier Emergency Care Scheme which used to rehome them, and when I was younger we used to foster the dogs.”
He added that she joined the Penrith-based charity and had the newsletter delivered to her Cornwall home, and was a long-standing member of the National Trust.
On his mother’s passing, he spoke of walking the Cornish coast ‘for possibly the last time’, past her favourite bench to the pub.
He added, on things ‘no on prepares you for’: “Then sitting at the pub, staring out to sea with a pint in your hand while tears stream down your face as you realise that you won't sit here with mum ever again, but also reminiscing on the good times - playing for the pool team and also having our wedding reception here on a gloriously sunny, cold New Years Eve.
“Walking to mum's favourite local cafe in Bossiney and giving them the news.
“Hearing the staff say what a lovely person she was and that they took time to talk to her as they thought she was a bit lonely.
“Hearing that Mum always told them how much she enjoyed her trips to the Lakes and her holidays away with us.
“Getting a huge piece of cake and coffee 'on the house in memory of Shirley' and getting a hug from the cafe owner on the way out - good job it was raining on the walk back - more tears.”
Robert Benson, founder of the charity, said they need to raise £150,000 a year to fund their rangers who work to conserve red squirrels, primarily under threat by a virus which grey squirrels carry.
He added that fundraisers like Mr Parson’s are ‘a wonderful way for local people to help support our red squirrel group, and hopefully conserve red squirrels’.
For more information, and to donate to the fundraiser, click here.
For more information about the charity, click here.
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