Eloise Jackson: £13k raised after fatal crash to go to charity

The family of a girl who died after her bike was involved in a crash with a lorry will donate money raised in her memory to charity.

Eloise Jackson, seven, was struck on the A338 in Collingbourne Ducis, on 13 July and died in hospital later.

An appeal set up by a family friend collected nearly £13,000, which will go to Greatwood, near Marlborough.

The charity houses former racehorses and provides alternative education for children from across the country.

Eloise's family said she was "full of life and laughter" and was nicknamed "Fizzy" because of her bubbly personality.

Her mother Laura said the family was being helped to deal with their grief by "absolutely incredible" friends, some of whom have provided them with meals and taken them out.

Mrs Jackson said the family was moved to give the money to the "magical" Greatwood after a trip there with her parents and Eloise's sister.

She told BBC Radio Wiltshire: "It's just so fantastic. It's going to cost them about £600,000 a year just to keep running because they've got racehorses, chickens, three Shetland ponies. It's just absolutely wonderful.

"We visited with my parents and my daughter and we were all speechless. [We thought] This is it, this is the place we want the money to go. It's peaceful and we're looking at a permanent memorial for Eloise [at Greatwood]."

Helen Yeadon, who founded and runs Greatwood, said she hoped the charity could use some of the money to renovate a garden "that would be tranquil and a place for reflection".

The garden was initially created and funded by the children's charity, Wooden Spoon.

Mrs Yeadon added it could be named after Eloise, subject to her family's agreement.

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