STAFF at a Weymouth store have raised £3,180 for a hospice charity in memory of a colleague’s son.

Simon Matthews sadly passed away at St Margaret’s Hospice, Yeovil aged just 38. Called simply ‘Simon’s Bed Fund’, his parents Doreen and Keith Matthews have set themselves a £10,000 fundraising target to buy a specialist electric bed and mattress for St Margaret’s Hospice in appreciation of the wonderful care their son received from the local charity.

They are now £7,000 into achieving that target. Doreen and Keith said: “The hospice provided not only the best medical and personal care for Simon, but a safe haven for friends and family to gather together and support one another.”

Keith’s colleagues at the Weymouth Marks & Spencer store were so touched that they wanted to help and were delighted to raise £1,590, which Marks & Spencer have generously doubled with match-funding. Carol Taylor from St Margaret’s Hospice said: “We are so grateful to the Matthews family and the amazing team at Marks & Spencer, Weymouth, for this wonderful donation which has helped raise Simon’s Bed Fund to almost £7,000 towards this much needed specialist bed.”