THE friends of a popular Teesdale woman left brain damaged by diabetes are raising thousands of pounds for charity to mark her 30th birthday, writes Will Roberts.

Helen Holmes, a type 1 diabetic from Barnard Castle, suffered a massive hypoglycaemic attack earlier this year, leaving her with a permanent brain injury.

Now, a group of her closest friends have come together to mark her landmark birthday on Wednesday, January 7 by organising a charity dip in the North Sea at Saltburn.

Just hours after a sponsorship page was set up online in honour of the former Teesdale School student, the initial target of £1,000 had been exceeded.

Meanwhile, friends of the Holmes family in Finland are joining in with the fundraising by organising a sponsored dip in the icy waters of Lake Tuomiojärvi on 7th January.

Miss Holmes, well known around Barnard Castle, was a deputy manager of the thinking skills programme at Deerbolt Young Offenders’ Institution and had previously worked for William Smith, Teesdale Sports Centre and the Old Well Inn. Some of her former colleagues from William Smith belong to local charity, the Clique, and have already separately raised £2,000 for Miss Holmes.

Helen’s parents Marion and Ray, who live in Startforth, said they were touched by the generosity of their daughter’s friends.

“Many people underestimate how serious type 1 diabetes can be. Although it’s too late to help Helen, it’s important that research into this disease continues. It’s a fantastic gesture by Helen’s friends who are raising money for Diabetes UK with an event that she herself would wholeheartedly approve of.”

Ingrid Tingle, a co-organiser of the Saltburn event, agreed that a dip in the sea is something Helen would approve of. In recent years, Helen and other friends had taken trips to the coast to go for an impromptu dip, often wearing fancy dress.

“The Helen we all remember so dearly was full of life and was always the first to suggest doing something daft,” said Mrs Tingle.

“It’s terrible that we’re not able to celebrate Helen’s big birthday in the way everyone would have liked, but we feel this is something very fitting and we thought it was important to raise money for charity at the same time.

“Unfortunately we can’t change what Helen and her family are going through, but we can do what we can to assist those charities who are helping to stop it from happening to others.”

“We still see Helen but we’re no longer able to dance with her, or hear her funny stories or ask her for advice and we miss those things every day.

“She is a remarkably popular person and the amazing amount of money raised in such a short time is testament to that.”

The Dip for Diabetes will take place on Saturday, January 10. To sponsor Helen’s friends visit justgiving.com/Takeadipfor-DiabetesUK