Can you help Flitwick woman raise £1,750 for memorial bench as tribute to sister?

A kindhearted Flitwick woman is raising funds for a memorial bench in memory of her loving sister.

Sharon Hoang, 52, is planning to pay tribute to Michelle McGuire who died aged 48 in August last year.

Michelle was rescued from the Ouse in Bedford but despite the efforts of eyewitnesses and medical staff, she lost her life less than two days later in Bedford Hospital.

Now, following the inquest's conclusion, Sharon wants to raise £1,750 for a memorial bench so she can have a special place to remember her sister.

Sharon said: "I miss my sister every day. She had a lot more to give but sadly she won't have the chance.

"She did find life difficult but every day she had a smile on her face and she wanted to make people happy."

Michelle was born Michelle Louise McGuire on February 11, 1973, and was also known as 'Miff' to many.

She and her siblings Sharon, Kat and Kevin grew up in Luton and spent many happy hours playing outside near their home Bramhanger Acres, Luton.

As a child, Michelle attended Waulud, Whitefield, and Lea Manor schools. She enjoyed socialising, was "very chatty", and loved singing.

Sharon remembered: "We used to have the play park in front of our house.

"There was quite a tall apparatus and we'd fall off occasionally. We made blanket dens and rode our bikes.

"Mum used to make us dresses out of curtain fabric. She was good at that. And we used to have lovely parties."

As an adult, Michelle became a beautician and used to work at a salon in Dunstable called Body Fresh.

She had taken inspiration from her eldest sister, Kat Kairo, who was a beautician for the stars - and even for the Baftas - before she died in 2008.

Sharon said: "Michelle enjoyed doing my nails. She had a lot of patience and she was very good at her job.

"Her customers and the regulars loved her."

However, life wasn't easy for Michelle, as she suffered from an alcohol addiction. Losing her sister Kat in 2008 had also affected the family.

At the time of her death, Michelle was living at Clarence House, St John's Street, Bedford, and was trying to turn her life around with support from Sharon.

Explaining what happened on August 4 last year, Sharon said: "It's not known exactly how she happened to be in the river. Unfortunately, the CCTV did not cover the point of her entering the river.

"She was in the company of a couple of males that she knew. Both of them couldn't swim.

"One of them did go in the river but he got into trouble, and they were both trying to pull her out.

"There were some other males on the other side of the river, near the Star Rowing Club. They noticed what was happening. They came across from the other side of the river on their bikes, and one of them got Michelle out and was giving Michelle CPR."

The emergency services were called at 11.04pm, and paramedics performed CPR before Michelle was taken to Bedford Hospital and admitted to intensive care.

She died on August 6 at 2.30am after her family had to make the heartbreaking decision to switch off her life support.

An inquest held on February 15 concluded a verdict of death by misadventure.

Paying tribute to her sister, Sharon said: "Michelle was well known by people from all walks of life.

"Even the groundworkers in the town centre miss Michelle.

"I visited regularly and we would enjoy laughing. She had a warm smile and she would share her love for music with me.

"She met UB40 at the Eagle and Tun, Digbeth, which the group once owned. She also attended Ed Sheeran concerts, and she loved to sing Celine Dion's My Heart Will Go On."

Michelle is survived by her mother Patsy Riley, stepfather Stephen Riley, daughter Chloe McGuire, son Ryan McGuire, sister Sharon Hoang, and her brother Kevin McGuire.

Remembering Kat, Sharon added: "She's always in our heart and thoughts."

Sharon concluded: "Michelle is greatly missed by her family, her friends Shaheen, Louise and Alan Chambers, her partner, and many more.

"I miss my sister every day. I wanted the chance to get better care for my sister. I felt she had been let down by services.

"The support services were finally starting to give Michelle some input to her care after two years in her supported accommodation.

"I hope this is a warning to people that the Bedford river holds dangers they may not be aware of. People need to take care of their safety."

To donate to the memorial bench and help Sharon to have a special place to remember her sister, visit: the gofundme webpage.