Market bench in memory of trader’s son

Market traders raised money to help buy a bench in memory of the autistic son of fellow stallholders.

The bench, which cost £494 will be installed in the Market Square tomorrow.

It is in memory of Mr Kevin Dennis who died in October aged 37 after suffering an epileptic seizure in his sleep.

His parents, Mr and Mrs Gerald Dennis of Mansfield, run a fruit and vegetable stall on the market on Thursdays and Saturdays.

Mrs Jean Dennis said: “We started going to Southwell about 12 years ago.

“Kevin got on so well with people in Southwell and everybody seemed to know him.

“He loved to come to the market. It was always his special day and he had all his friends there.”

Mrs Dennis said the bench was an appropriate tribute to her son.

“It will probably be used by older people in Southwell and Kevin had a lot of friends who were elderly,” she said.

“I was surprised when the other traders told me what they were doing. It is a nice gesture.”

Mr Phillip Marshall of Gedling runs the Oak Tree Upholsterers stall.

“Kevin was part of the market,” he said. “He was always smiling and the customers loved him.

“Some of the traders thought it would be great to have something to remember him. It is not the same without him.”

Mr Harold Ellerby of Boston who runs the Tony’s Flowers stall, had known Kevin since Mr and Mrs Dennis started trading on the market.

“It was a huge shock to everybody when he died because it was so sudden,” he said.

“The bench is a way for us to show our respect for him because he was a real character and was friends with the traders and the public as well.”

The traders raised around £200 towards the bench and the rest of the money was provided by Newark and Sherwood District Council.