Senior Non-Commissioned Officers from Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose proudly presented a cheque for over £1100 to the “Cardiac Risk in the Young” (CRY) charity, after two money raising events in the Warrant Officers and Senior Rates Mess.
On hand to receive the cheque were Sylvia and Leon Pezzack who set up a memorial fund for their daughter Debbie Rendle as part of CRY.
Debbie, a mother of three and married to a Culdrose Senior Rate, was also a champion Cornish rower who died without warning and with no previous symptoms in February 2007. The cause was later established as Sudden Death Syndrome.
St Piran’s Day was celebrated in style with a party organised for a second year, bringing together talent in the shape of the Culdrose Military Wives Choir, Mousehole Male Voice Choir and Cornish comedienne Anna Keirle who entertained service personnel and friends. Mess committee members worked feverishly selling raffle tickets with prizes generously donated by local shops and businesses.
The second event was organised around a “Six Nations Rugby Super Saturday Festival” for the final three games of this year’s Six Nations competition.
Prizes donated this time round included match tickets, replica kits and signed rugby balls from Redruth RFC, Cornish Pirates and the Royal Navy Rugby Union.
Warrant Officer Steve Cass, Base Warrant Officer for Culdrose, was overwhelmed by the generosity of the donations: “Both events were brilliantly supported by friends and members of the Mess. A big thank-you has to go to the committee, led by Chief Petty Officer Richie Hackett who put it all together and raised this money for the Debbie Rendle Memorial Fund”.
Every week in the UK at least 12 apparently fit and healthy young people die of undiagnosed heart conditions. Debbie’s parents have worked hard to raise money for local people between 14 and 35 to undergo cardiac screening. CRY is a national charity with distinguished patrons such as Ian Botham, Steve Redgrave and Clive Woodward to name but a few. The Debbie Rendle Memorial Fund supports this charity by contributing towards the cost of cardiac screening for locals within the affected age range in order to detect heart abnormalities and help save lives.
The next screening in Cornwall will take place at Zennor Block of Penwith 6th Form College, Penzance on Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 October.
Everyone between the ages of 14 to 35 is invited to take advantage of this facility by booking online at www.c-r-y.org.uk/ecg.htm
