Crash victim’s legacy of helping others lives on

The family of Aurelia Kelly collected for Ballymena Foodbank to help those in need over the festive period.

On November 4, 2021, the mother of two died at the scene of a two-vehicle road traffic collision in Co Antrim, and she was later described as having a ‘huge heart’.

The 54-year-old woman was the wife of Church of Ireland minister Revd Trevor Kelly, curate of Drummaul, Duneane and Ballyscullion.

She was well known locally and supported a number of local charities, with the food bank being particularly close to her heart.

In 2020, Mrs Kelly had arranged a ‘Doorstep Drop Donation Appeal’, for people to leave donations for the food bank in her garden.

That December, it became a ‘Christmas Doorstep Appeal’, with her garden transformed into a “vintage Christmas at home” with seasonal decorations.

To ensure Mrs Kelly’s legacy lives on, her husband Trevor, son Andrew, daughter-in-law Laura, and daughter Rebecca, continued to collect for the food bank and handed over their donation to the charitable organisation this week.

They again collected the food donations at their family home in Ballymena and were also supported by bus manufacturer Wrightbus, where Andrew works in the accounts department.

Andrew said: “We wanted to ensure that mum’s work continued and we have been overwhelmed not only by the donations people have made, but also by so many kind words that people have said about mum.

“We’re grateful to everybody who has donated and I would also like to thank my colleagues at Wrightbus for their generous contributions.

“Christmas without mum was not the same, but by continuing with the collection for the food bank we made sure we are still helping the people that she dedicated so much time to helping.”