Community moves fundraiser 'to tears' after fire

A woman who has raised more than £2m for charity has thanked her local community after she lost her home of 62 years in a house fire.

The house belonging to Sandra Blockley MBE, 81, was destroyed in a blaze in Church Street, Thurcroft, Rotherham, on Tuesday.

The Pride of Britain award winner, who fundraises for cancer and dementia charities, says people living nearby have helped to raise £7,000 towards the cost of replacing some of her possessions.

Blockley said the response had brought her to tears, adding: "I've always helped other people, now they're helping me in my time of need and I can't thank them enough."

According to South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, the fire started in her shed and spread to the adjacent property.

It took more than seven hours to extinguish the blaze, which firefighters believe was started accidentally.

Blockley was not at home at the time after she decided to go line dancing at "last minute" and found out about the fire when she was about to return.

"I just broke down, cried and cried and cried, and I was trembling, I was in such a state," she said.

"To think that everything for 60-odd years is gone."

Blockley, who had initially planned to have a lie down that afternoon, is convinced she would not have survived the blaze had she been at home.

"I'd have died in my bed because of the smoke, and I couldn't have escaped, no way," she said.

"So when I think about that it's nightmares."

Blockley dedicated her life to raising money for charity following the deaths of daughter Lorraine, who had cervical cancer, and husband Charlie who had dementia.

In 2006, she was awarded an MBE in recognition of her voluntary work and fundraising. Blockley was also named Fundraiser of the Year at the Pride of Britain awards in 2022.

Following the fire, hundreds of people offered their support, including Jake Richards, Labour MP for Rother Valley, who wrote to Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds in the hope of having Blockley's MBE medal replaced.

Since the fire, Blockley has been staying in a hotel and hoped to move into temporary accommodation soon. The 81-year-old added the "outpouring of support" had been touching.

"It breaks me into tears because it's overwhelming, the love I've given them, they're giving back to me," she said.

"I can't thank them enough and from the bottom of my heart. As a family we will never, ever forget."

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