AFTER raising over £30,000 for a cause close to their hearts, an Ollerton family have put the wheels in motion on their next adventure.

The Holland family, who run Holmes Chapel-based Spinney Motorhomes, launched the Grace Bear campaign on March 1 - and every motorhome or caravan sold will now come with its own exclusive Grace Bear.

The campaign is of particular poignancy as it is named after Grace Holland – who was 9-weeks-old when her father Nick, the son of Spinney founders, Gill and Nick Holland Senior, died unexpectedly from an undiagnosed heart condition aged just 26. 

The bear will also be available to purchase from the Knutsford Road business, with a donation being made to CRY – a charity the family have remained dedicated to since Nick’s death in 2010.

Gemma Holland, Grace’s mum and Nick’s wife, said: “We wanted something that the customers could be involved and interact with by posting pictures and stories on Facebook and Twitter and thought that it was a nice idea to have the bear named after my daughter, Grace.

“It keeps Nick’s name and memory involved in the goings-on of the Holland family work and life and also as an opportunity to raise money for the charity we support in Nick's memory.”

CRY, or Cardiac Risk in the Young, aims to raise awareness of conditions that can lead to young cardiac death (YSCD) and sudden death syndrome (SDS) and provides life-saving screening programmes for young people. 

In the four years since Nick’s sudden death, his family have pulled together to raise as much money and awareness for the charity, raising over £30,000 to date through sponsored runs and charity events.

Gemma, who is running the campaign with Nick’s brothers, Ben and Charlie, and his mother Gill, said: “Nick was an amazing, loving, hard working man. My everything. He is sorely missed by everybody that was involved in his life but he did not waste a second of it. 

“He fit a lot into his 26 years and I thank him every day for our beautiful daughter, it provides me with great comfort knowing she is a part of him he has left behind.

“Through CRY's screening programme, it might stop this happening to another young person and affecting so many people’s lives.”

Spinney Motorhomes will be running prize competitions as part of the Grace Bear campaign.  The family will pick their favourite pictures and stories submitted of Grace Bear on adventures with her new owners. 

Visit spinney.co.uk for more information.  For more information about CRY visit c-r-y.org.uk.