Swanage model maker's HMS Victory goes for charity sale (From Bournemouth Echo)

Swanage model maker's HMS Victory goes for charity sale

1:00pm Saturday 12th January 2013 in News By Jim Durkin

THIS impressive model of the legendary warship HMS Victory will be sold off to help in the battle against cancer.

Swanage grandfather-of-two Brian Beeston painstakingly built the wooden scale replica after fighting back from cancer twice in five years.

Now the former electrical engineer, who put two and a half years’ effort into piecing his version of Lord Nelson’s flagship together, wants to give something back to the charity that helped him and his wife in their time of need.

“I was diagnosed with bowel cancer about five years back,” said 74-year-old Brian.

“Then, after successful treatment, I developed prostate cancer two years later.

“My wife Shirley was then diagnosed with breast cancer at the same time.”

So the Beestons spent hours travelling to and from Poole Hospital from their Cauldron Road home for treatment.

Thankfully, this paid off and today they appear to be in good health.

“Fingers crossed, things are now okay, but we still have to have check-ups now and then,” said Brian.

“The charity CanCare helped us with travelling costs during our treatment. They were very good to us, so we decided we wanted to give something back.”

Halfway through building his Victory – a ship of the line immortalised during the 1805 Battle of Trafalgar – Brian told CanCare he wanted to donate it to them so they could auction it off to the highest bidder.

He has had a £500 offer from one neighbour, but Brian wants to raise as much as possible.

Brian told the Daily Echo: “It is now finished and CanCare have been out to see it and they are working on getting somewhere where it can be displayed.

“We want to find out if there is anyone out there, maybe a pub, a hotel or just an ordinary person, who can give it a home for the right price. All the funds go to the charity.”

CanCare volunteers support ordinary people diagnosed with cancer by offering one-on-one emotional support.