SAIF Golden Charter

Memory Giving: ‘We feel that her memory is going to last forever’

Helena Green was just 31 when she died in August 2017. More than £3,000 was collected in her memory through Memory Giving, the funeral donations service that makes it easy for people to donate online in memory of a loved one. It was donated to a charity that was close to Helena’s heart.

During a gap year in 2005, Helena spent five months helping people with disabilities at the Amani centre in Tanzania.

The following year her family, together with two other like-minded people, founded the Friends of Amani Tanzania charity, which supports rehabilitation efforts for families and people with disabilities.

Helena’s father Leslie, the treasurer of the charity, said his daughter would have been “absolutely staggered” at the amount of money raised through Memory Giving.

“I think she would have been very pleased,” he said. “It would have brought a smile to her face, thinking of the good it would do.”

Helena was 19, and had just returned from Tanzania, when she was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Her health deteriorated gradually over the following 12 years and latterly she was also diagnosed with Addison’s disease.

“Over the last three or four years she was struggling but tried to remain positive,” said Leslie.

“She had a bubbly, bouncy personality. If ever she saw anyone who was down in the dumps it wasn’t long before she was cheering them up. Her life was only short, but because of her love for other people, especially those in need, she seemed to touch a lot of lives.”

Friends of Amani Tanzania, a UK registered charity, supports community-based rehabilitation, educational development and community infrastructure projects in the Morogoro region of eastern Tanzania.

Leslie said that it was easy to link Friends of Amani Tanzania to Memory Giving. “The people I dealt with were very kind and pleasant and helpful,” he added.

Leslie believes there are benefits in using an online funeral donations service. “Most people use computers all the time,” he said. “The one thing you don’t usually carry around with you is cash, and at a funeral the last thing you really want to worry about is money.

“Having an online donations service saves a lot of bother and makes it easier. You can donate in your own time, at any time of day.’’

Friends and family can also leave a message on the Memory Giving page. “It’s those words and messages of encouragement that mean so much,” said Leslie.

“My wife and I are very sad to have lost a daughter but we feel that Helena’s memory is going to last forever in the way we continue to help disadvantaged people through Friends of Amani Tanzania.’

For further information, please contact Julian Walker on 0118 9839411 or julian@abwalker.co.uk