The mother of tragic drama student Jenson Marriott is selling his belongings to boost the fund she launched in his memory to help talented young black actors fulfil their dreams of stardom.

Since its launch was reported in the Telegraph & Argus in April - following the 21-year-old's death from cancer in January - more than £9,000 has poured into the Jenson Marriott Memorial Scholarship Fund for Actors.

Now Jenson's mother, Sharon, 37, of Shipley, is hoping the charity will be able to start helping budding black actors from poor backgrounds pay for their higher education studies within the next 18 months.

Mrs Marriott, who hopes the fund will encourage more black youngsters to take drama courses and ultimately help break down racial stereotyping within the acting industry, has been doing her bit to swell its coffers by selling donated items and some of Jenson's possessions from stalls at local sales.

She said: "I've been selling some of the things I'd bought for Jenson - not his personal possessions because I'm not ready for that - but things like kitchen utensils, kettles and irons. I know Jenson would be pleased because this is something he cared passionately about."

Mrs Marriott is appealing for people to donate items for future sales and will be manning a stall at a table top sale at Saltaire's Victoria Hall between 10am and noon on Sunday.

Mrs Marriott, who manages the GCSE and A-level centre and teaches English literature at Bradford and Ilkley Community College, said the aim was to generate £100,000 and to award grants from the interest.

She said: " There's a long way to go but I'd like to see the first student being supported within two years of Jenson dying."

Jenson, a former Nab Wood Grammar School pupil who appeared in the BBC Screen Two drama documentary Criminal at 17, was in the second year of a drama degree course at Middlesex University when he died.

l Money can be paid into an account in the fund's name at the Midland Bank's Shipley branch. For more information about the charity or making donations contact Mrs Marriott at Sharonm@legend.co.uk

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