Big-hearted Doncaster girl, 10, helps buy defibrillator in memory of camp site friend

Kaesya Shillito from Scawthorpe had already begun fundraising for the machine with Jane Ellis after meeting her on holiday at a camp site where she worked near Goole last year.

However, Jane died suddenly in June at the age of 56 – spurring on 10-year-old Kaesya to continue the campaign.

And after hitting the fundraising target, the defibrillator has now been installed at the Apple Blossom Caravan and Camping Site.

Explained Kaesya’s mum Kerry: “In the summer of 2021, we went on our first camping trip to Apple Blossom.

“The first person to greet us and make us feel at home was Jane.

"While we were there we booked in for many more stays and spent nearly all of summer, Halloween and New Year there.”

After Kerry attended a first aid course for work, Kaesya decided she wanted to buy a defibrillator for the campsite.

She said: “After chatting for hours about the first aid course and how a defibrillator works, Kaesya was very excited to raise funds to get one for Apple Blossom.

“Our lovely friend Jane was very eager to help Kaesya organise this and spent many hours together with many ideas on how to raise enough money to purchase a defibrillator.

“Kaesya set up a page – beadedbykaesya - making bracelets to sell and Lisa, the owner of Apple Blossom camp site, gave her some money to purchase her merchandise to get started so she wouldn’t be out of pocket.

Tombola stalls and raffles helped the money start building up but tragedy struck on June 21 this year when Jane collapsed and died suddenly.

Said Kerry: “This made us more determined to continue and raise as much as possible in Jane’s honour.

“We set up a go fund me page to help get funds and in just under a week we had raised all the money needed to purchase one. It has now been purchased and installed.

“We are so very happy the icing is now on the cake.”