Pupils in harmony for Harrison
A school came together to raise funds in memory of a two-year-old boy who died from complications following a brain tumour.
Pupils at Ounsdale High School in Wombourne were so moved to hear of the tragic death of Harrison Meekcom, from Dudley, they decided to put on a night of music to raise money towards a charity set up in his name.
The concert came about after a chance meeting at a car boot sale between Carole Hipkiss, Harrison's grandmother, and a student from the school, Olivia Saxelby.
Carole said: "I was selling charity bands for the fund and after chatting Olivia said she would love to help – and in just four weeks she'd organised a concert at the school. Her mom said she hadn't stopped.
"The whole school took part, and it was wonderful. They sang, some solo and some in groups, and played guitar. They are so talented."
Carole and her family, including Harrison's parents Nickola and Lee, and sister Holly, were given front row seats to the two-hour show which raised £561 for the cause.
Harrison underwent a 15-hour operation followed by six months of chemotherapy after being diagnosed with a Medulloblastoma brain tumour two weeks after his second birthday.
But in a devastating turn of events he suffered a bleed on the brain following a fall from a chair and despite further surgery he died in August 2016.
Since then, more than £20,000 has been raised for the charity.
Carole, who is the main fundraiser, said: "It's wonderful when something like this happens. I come across some horrible remarks and comments, you can get a lot of knockbacks, so what the school did means more than I can say."
