Fundraiser to help Offaly great-grandmother whose home was destroyed by fire

Home of Oliver Thompson was destroyed by fire

placeholder image — Home of Oliver Thompson was destroyed by fire

Home of 88-year-old was destroyed by fire

A CAKE and bake sale is being organised by the Tullamore Union of Parishes to raise funds for Olive Thompson, the Annaharvey great-grandmother whose home was destroyed by a fire.

The fundraiser will take place in the Bridge Centre, Tullamore on Friday, February 28 from 10am to 1pm.

The blaze in the early hours of February 7 gutted much of the 88-year-old woman's house near Tullamore and though she was admitted to hospital she was discharged after about a week.

Olive (pictured below) and her much loved dog Julia will stay with her son until the house is rebuilt.

An idonate.ie page has been set up to help Olive (log onto idonate.ie and search for 'Help Olive to rebuild her home') and by this morning (Friday, February 21) it had raised over €21,000.

In a post on the idonate.ie page last week, Dwayne, Tara and Kaelyn Thompson, grandchildren of Olive, said: "Thank you so much to everyone who has donated, liked or shared social media posts, offered their time, materials and support. We appreciate you all."

They added: "Thank you to all the staff in Tullamore General Hospital for looking after Olive and caring for her to the highest standard".