On 22nd November it will be exactly ONE YEAR since our beloved son and brother Matthew left us.  On this very special day we (Adrian, Sara, Anthony and Peter) wanted to thank you for your support to us, tell you how donations to Matthew’s Butterfly Legacy have been used, and show you how Matthew continues to touch people’s lives.

In the summer we dedicated a bench to Matthew near his home in Highfield Park St. Albans. Matthew Strain was a lion-hearted, life-grabbing young man who came to live near Highfield Park in the spring of 2012 after a year of serious illness in hospital in Oxford. 
Matthew, who had the rare Marshall Smith syndrome, a condition of severe physical and mental disability, made the Park his stomping ground in the summer of 2012. He would sing and race along the paths with his familiar walker and drum, laughing with his two brothers, Anthony and Peter, and his mother and father, Sara and Adrian. Matthew died in Helen House Children's Hospice in Oxford on November 22 2012, just six weeks after celebrating his 18th birthday in St. Albans.  He was joyously roaming Highfield Park until just a few weeks before he died.

On Sunday July 28th 2013, Matthew's family and friends came to Highfield Park to dedicate a bench to their beautiful son Matthew in the Rose Garden. 

When Matthew died, we requested that any donations be made to Matthew’s Butterfly Legacy, supporting four charities that we had been involved with during his lifetime and which helped people with physical and mental health problems, or life-threatening illnesses.
We have been moved by the generosity of our friends’ donations.  To date Matthew’s Butterfly Legacy has raised approximately £10,000, funds which have been shared between these four charities:

Kampala School for the Physically Disabled.  (http://www.ksph.or.ug) The school is an uplifting place which provides residential education to children with physical and mental disabilities. Sara (pictured below with residents) has had a long association with the school.  Matthew’s Butterfly Legacy contributed £6,000 to help fund refurbishment of the school’s refectory.

Earthworks St.Albans (http://www.earthworksstalbans.co.uk/) Earthworks St. Albans is a registered charity that offers trainees, with learning difficulties or mental health problems, work experience and training in horticultural and land-based skills. Matthew’s Butterfly Legacy contributed £1,000 to Earthworks in 2013.

Rural Care Church Farm, Ardeley (http://www.churchfarmardeley.co.uk/education-a-care/rural-care.html) Rural Care provides training and work experience for people with learning disabilities and/or mental health issues in a supportive and caring environment on a fully working farm.  Matthew’s Butterfly Legacy contributed £1,000 to Rural Care Church Farm in 2013.

Helen House Children’s Hospice, Oxford  (http://www.helenanddouglas.org.uk)  Helen House became a second home to Matthew over many years. It brought him love and  happiness in his last months. Matthew lived life at Helen House. More recently we are being helped by the sister organisation, Douglas House, which helps bereaved families. They also run an active group for siblings which Peter has enjoyed for many years and continues to be a part of.  Matthew’s Butterfly Legacy has contributed £1,000 to Helen House Children’s Hospice. (Sara recommended that they might choose to spend it on an industrial quantity of tissues and tea bags!).

A memorial to Matthew in Uganda
Matthew never travelled in his lifetime to Uganda.  In June, Sara and family and friends laid down a memorial to Matthew at the family burial ground in Busozi Bulongo, outside Kampala.  The headstone  (photographed below just after it was laid down) says:  “Matthew Kayemba Strain. Laid to rest in England. A unique child of God”

And finally.....
Matthew’s Butterfly Legacy remains active.
Thank you so much to all our friends for your support to our family. 
Adrian, Sara, Anthony and Peter