A LITERARY-LOVING crowd of 100 attended the third Magic Oxygen Literary Prize awards evening at the Woodmead Halls on Saturday. The evening was combined with the official launch of Trish Vickers’ book Grannifer’s Legacy.

Tracey and Simon West agreed to rush the publication of Trish’s book - written entirely by hand by the blind Charmouth woman over years - after she was given a terminal diagnosis for cancer.

Despite their round-the-clock efforts Trish died as the book was being delivered and never got her own official launch.

But Tracey and Simon agreed to use the awards evening for their writing contest to present her family with the printed book.

Tracey said: “Several members of Trish’s family were there and everyone was delighted that Trish’s inspirational journey was going on to inspire others too.”

Trish’s daughter Heidi said: “It’s so lovely to see mum’s actual book in print. It’s amazing to see people looking at her work.

“I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge all the help and support people have offered to get mum’s book published.

“She was really humbled by it and we was well aware of all the love people were sending her. We are very proud of her. This is her legacy as well as Grannifer’s.”

Brother Tristan said he was also proud of what his mum had achieved in the circumstances and thanked Magic Oxygen for the amazing job they’d done.

Trish’s story is so remarkable and it has reached news outlets on the other side of the planet.

Part of the reason the Wests agreed to take on the daunting task of getting Trish’s book published is that they believe compassion and ethics can work side by side with business.

Copies of Grannifer’s Legacy and the Magic Oxygen Literary Prize Anthology 2017 are available from bookshops and from MagicOxygen.co.uk/shop too.

Donations will go South West Dorset Talking Newspapers from the sale of Grannifer’s Legacy and Magic Oxygen are planting a tree for every anthology sold.

A memorial for Trish is being held on Wednesday March 22 at 1pm at Higher Ground Meadow in Corscombe.

All are welcome.

Bridport and Lyme Regis News:

FIRM FRIENDS: Trish Vickers and Linda Rand

By Peter Rand

TRISH Vickers was a remarkable person and a good friend to all who knew her too.

My wife Linda had known Trish pretty much all her 
life.

They went to the same schools and both left at the same time and remained strong friends through their teenage years and beyond.

They shared a passion for the pop band the Monkees and made regular weekend trips to Hammersmith Odeon to see some of the great R&B and soul stars including Aretha Franklin during their teenage years.

They were always there for each other particularly in the tough times such as when Trish lost a baby in the early 1980s, then the breakup of her marriage and again when she lost her sight.

However, despite growing into different characters they loved each other.

Remarkably we ended up living less than 200 metres from her after we moved to Charmouth in 2007.

Trish followed a more spiritual life and existence and was always relaxed about almost every problem that confronted her and was a great listener too. There was nothing that she liked more than greeting a friend with the word “cuddles” followed by one of her huge bear hugs and then sharing a problem or simply having a chat.

When she told us she was writing a book despite becoming blind we were excited for her as it ignited a real purpose and goal in her life.

However in the last few months when it became clear she was ill and the book remained unpublished all who knew her became concerned that her dream might never be fulfilled.
She had been unable to find a publisher and financially she had no resources to get her beloved book “ Grannifers Legacy” published.

Then when it became known that Trish was terminally ill she was overjoyed at the generosity of people who helped raise the necessary funds to get her book finally printed, ironically on the day before she died.

Trish was a beautiful person and one of those special people we sometimes are lucky enough to meet in life.

She loved Charmouth and its people and if she could, she would be thanking everyone for their help with the word cuddles followed by a massive bear hug. 

We will miss her.