Tragic mum's book of love (From Western Telegraph)

Tragic mum's book of love

When Alice Rees was told she had terminal cancer her greatest worry was that her children would not understand why mummy had gone to heaven and indeed, what her belief of heaven was.

Alice, who was just 30 when she died, decided to write a book explaining to her children what she believed happened to Christians when they died.

That book, 'Mummy is safe with God', proved a great comfort to her family and helped them cope with their grief.

Alice's parents, retired dairy farmers, Mary and Graham Roberts, recognised the enormous strength her family and friends drew from these words and decided to share her thoughts with others by publishing it.

They hope the book will give reassurance to others, particularly children who have lost a parent or grandparent.

Alice's gift has other implications too. All the money raised from its sale will be donated to four organisations which helped her through her illness.

Publishing the book wasn't an easy decision for Alice's family but they felt it was something she would have wanted. "She had very definite ideas,'' admitted her mother, Mary, of Upper Lamboro Farm, Clarbeston Road.

"She was a devout Christian and had no fear of dying; she accepted her illness with great courage.

"She had every faith that even though she had to die, her children would be taken care of but she didn't want them just to be told that 'mummy has gone to heaven' without it being properly explained to them.''

Alice, who was a religious education teacher at Sir Thomas Picton School, Haverfordwest, knew she was going to die and planned for that day.

She had even organised her own funeral service at St Mary's Church, Wiston, where she had been a lifelong worshipper.

She had also gathered many meaningful quotations which can now be found at St Mary's Church.

Her words live on in a hymn she wrote for the YFC Eisteddfod in 1996 and which earned her the Eisteddfod Chair.

Her friend and musician, Seimon Morris, put it to music and it was sung, along with another hymn Alice had written, at a recent service to dedicate a multi-purpose area at the church in her memory.

'Mummy is safe with God' is being sold with a cover price of £3 and is available at many outlets including Clarbeston Road Post Office, The Christian Bookshop, Haverfordwest, St David's Cathedral Bookshop, Victoria Bookshop, Haverfordwest, and is available directly from Mr and Mrs Roberts (01437 731286).

They will also be on sale during a two-day open garden event at Heathfield Lodge, Wiston, on July 2nd and 3rd.

All the proceeds for their sale will be shared between St Mary's Church, the Paul Sartori Foundation, ward ten, Withybush Hospital and Singleton Hospital.