When much loved Chester fundraiser Margaret McKeegan passed away last year, it shattered the hearts of her huge family who dubbed her their ‘queen’.
But her legacy is set to live on through granddaughter Cassie Simpson, 22, who has vowed to take over Margaret’s dedicated charity work in honour of her memory.
“I know she is here with us all in spirit and I hope that I am making her proud by carrying on her fundraising,” Cassie told The Chronicle. “It’s what I promised her and would never break that promise.”
Margaret McKeegan MBE of Newtown spent decades organising events to raise money for blood pressure monitors, cardiac rehab units, disabled people and various charities around Chester.
Her selflessness won her many accolades including Chester’s Person of the Year at the 2010 Chronicle-ScottishPower Your Champions awards and the BEM award for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
In 2012 she was selected to carry the Olympic torch through Chester because of her steadfast commitment to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, for whom she would regularly fundraise and send weekly goodwill boxes to.
Sadly Margaret was diagnosed with lung cancer on her 82nd birthday in April last year and died five weeks later leaving behind her six daughters, and more than 20 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
“When we were told the news that she was terminally ill it shattered our hearts,” Cassie said. “My nan was what I would say ‘the queen’ of our family and would do anything for anyone.”
Just a few days before Margaret died Cassie made a promise that she would carry on fundraising for her.
She had often supported her grandmother’s charity events, even jumping 14,000 feet out of a plane and flying down the longest zip line in Europe to raise cash.
The focus of Cassie’s first event is on Scotty’s Little Soldiers, a military charity to help bereaved British Forces children, which Margaret had shown an interest in supporting just before she became ill.
The fun evening will take place from 7.30pm until after midnight on February 11 at St Werburgh’s Parish Centre, Brook Street, Chester, and will include a disco, karaoke and a buffet.
There will be a charge of £5 on the door per person and a strip of raffle tickets available to purchase on the night for £1.
“Let's keep going in memory of her and join us down at the Catholic Club for a night filled with fun and laughter whilst raising for a well deserved charity,” she said.
Anyone who would like to donate raffle prizes can contact Cassie at cassie.s.06@hotmail.co.uk
