Mother of Christleton High School pupil says building a bike track in his memory kept her positive

Feb 25 2010 by Paul Mannion, Chester Chronicle

A BEREAVED mother says building a community bike track in memory of her 12-year-old son has helped her through her darkest days following his death.

Jo Easton, 39, of Oldfield Drive, Vicars Cross, whose Christleton High School student son Josh was killed in a collision with a van near a busy petrol station in October 2008, said there is no more fitting memorial to the keen rider.

“I’d talked about a bike track with Josh before because there is nowhere around here and he used to go out on the field and make jumps out of the mud himself with a shovel,” said Jo, who works for Cheshire West and Chester Council.

“Losing a child is the worst thing you can imagine and I wanted to do something positive.

“Knowing how much Josh would have loved this has kept me going and kept me positive.

“I think people can go one way or the other, I can understand how people cannot go on.

“I had times like that but doing this has given me something to get up for in the morning, some positive focus.”

Following the funeral of former Cherry Grove Primary School pupil Josh, the Easton family pressed ahead with plans to build the track on the Queens Road playing field in Vicars Cross.

“We started off with the donations from the funeral and we wanted to do something that was worthwhile and would have meant something to Josh.”

Mrs Easton said: “We thought what better way to remember Josh and also give the children in the area somewhere to go.”

Jo and husband Steve approached Great Boughton Parish Council with their idea and by the summer Josh’s Project Committee was formed – comprising family, friends, and representatives of the parish council, Cheshire West and Chester Council, the police, Connexions and Square One Youth Club – with the target of raising £37,000 for the track.

“Everybody has been really supportive, right from the start,” said Jo. “The amount of letters and cards we received was amazing, even from people we didn’t know.

“Josh would be so excited, he would be itching to get on it. I’m really proud.”

Work on the track, which will be called Josh’s Jumps, started last week and it is hoped the site will give children in Vicars Cross and Great Boughton the chance to test their cycling skills.

“Josh was a natural at everything he turned his hand to but his first love was his bike,” said Jo. “His friends used to go out riding with him and they’d show him a trick once and he would be able do it.

“We knew he was popular but we didn’t realise how popular he was, he had a lot of friends and seemed to be able to communicate with all sorts of people.

“I’m proud that we have got to the point that it’s there and I’m hoping it’s there for years to come and the children that use it get a lot enjoyment out of it.

“It’s difficult to say thank you to every single person but without everybody that’s donated and helped we wouldn’t be where we are today.

“We would like to thank everyone involved in making this such a special tribute to our wonderful son.”

The Duke of Westminster will officially open Josh’s Jumps on Wednesday, March 10, at 11am.