MORE than 50 relatives and friends of Callum Baker-Osborne presented a cheque to the RNLI team in Poole as a thank you for their efforts in trying to find him.
The family of the 18-year-old, who drowned at Rockley Point in July last year while saving his niece Aurora, handed over a cheque for nearly £5,000 on Saturday.
Callum’s sister Samantha described coming back down to Poole from their home in Coventry as a “bittersweet” experience, as there was a sense of “comfort” but “still so much anger”.
She told the Daily Echo: “We were down at the beach on Friday and everyone was getting upset. I put on a song called The Gambler and we all forced a smile.
“When we play that one song, we instantly remember Callum because he used to sing and dance to it.
“We all made a pact that when that song comes on, we must all smile. It doesn’t matter if we’re in the middle of a breakdown, we must smile. Callum wouldn't want us to be sad.”
Callum’s twin brother Ryan said on Friday the family remembered and celebrated Callum by going to the beach and playing rugby – “his sport”.
Ryan said: “We spent the day making new memories for him. None of us have been in the water since it happened, but we went in and had a bit of a laugh and played rugby.
“Callum’s spirit is still here in Poole, even though we laid him to rest back home in Coventry.”
Deputy mayor of Poole Cllr Julie Bagwell, who was the lifeboat station gathering, said the family were “amazing” and that Callum “means a lot to Turlin Moor, Hamworthy and Poole.”
Samantha paid tribute to the RNLI after handing over the cheque for £4,732.08. She described the team as “selfless heroes”.
She added: "They aren’t doing it as a job, they're doing it because they care. We felt that all the way through; there was so much love and we’ve become like a family.
“We’ve raised as much as possible for them, and fundraising for the RNLI will be a yearly occurrence for us. They are selfless heroes, each and every one of them.”
Read more: Callum Baker-Osborne: tributes paid to teen who died in Poole
Poole RNLI volunteer Anne-Marie Clark said: “Callum’s lasting impact, our promise to him, will be that we will continue to make people aware of the dangers of the water, continue to share the key safety messages and raise awareness to all that we meet, we will share his story.
“I’d like to say a very humble thank you to all that contributed to the fundraising at ‘Callum’s day’ in Coventry and for the amazing amount raised.
“The money will go towards helping us to help others. We're so grateful for the support and what a fitting tribute to Callum, his family and friends joining together to celebrate a courageous hero’s life.”
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