A woman whose phone containing the last pictures of her dead brother was stolen just before Christmas is organising a Zumbathon to raise money for a memorial bench in his memory.
Nathan Brotherhead, 21, who had special needs, died on December 15 after a failed liver transplant.
The Zumbathon will be three hours and 15 minutes long, because Nathan died at exactly 3.15pm.
His sister Carly Deerlove, 26, had her Apple iPhone 3GS containing treasured pictures of her brother taken from the Sycamore’s pub in Norman Lane, Eccleshill, at 10.30pm on Friday, December 23. She now wants to raise enough money to pay for a bench in St Ives Country Park in Bingley, where she can go with her children to remember him.
Mrs Deerlove was left devastated after leaving her phone by the sink in the toilets of the pub where it disappeared, with not one person responding to the subsequent police appeal.
The mother-of-three is resigned to the fact she will never get the phone or SIM card back, but now wants to get people involved in her fundraising night to pay for the bench and a plaque.
Any left-over money will go towards recording equipment for The Nathan Brotherhead Film and Music Recording Studio at the Big Soup in Springfield Mills, Oakworth Lane, which is a self-funding social enterprise with a theatre group for those with learning disabilities.
Nathan starred in lots of their productions.
Mrs Deerlove, of Bierley, Bradford, said: “He absolutely loved St Ives and we used to go there a lot. I have three young children and didn’t want to take them to the graveyard to remember their uncle.
“I think he would love the fact we are doing the Zumbathon because he loved being in the limelight and loved being at the Big Soup.
“We want the bench because it would mean so much to the family and my mum, who was fantastic with Nathan. She hasn’t got anyone to look after anymore and there is just emptiness.”
Information about the stolen phone can still be passed anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
The Zumbathon and raffle will be held at St John’s Church, Idle Thorpe Way, Thorpe Edge, from 5.30pm to 8.45pm on Friday.
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