The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
A bench is to be erected in memory of a Whaplode man for whom a song has been written by a Holbeach rapper and music producer.
The family of Blaine Sheppard have thanked the community for their support after the death of the 20-year-old earlier this month.
A JustGiving page was set up in the popular youngster’s memory and has raised over £3,600 for funeral costs and to provide the bench in a park close to Blaine’s home.
His death is believed to have been a suicide and the family are urging others struggling with mental health issues to speak up and for their voices to be listened too.
Reece Summerfield, one of Blaine’s four older brothers, said: “As a family we want to thank everybody for their support, messages and donations.
“The support we’ve had from everybody has been amazing. The messages have been incredible.
“He was cheeky, even though he was quite shy.
“We all loved his banter which came out when he got to know you.”
A number of tributes have been posted online including a rap and video posted by Mason Earle from Holbeach who produces music under the name Mase.
The 17-year-old, who has already had a track played on Radio One, has released Fly High Brother online and on steaming services.
It contains audio tributes from family and friends while Mase raps: “We were the boys always being with each other/ always had our backs brother from another mother.
“We made memories/ we laughed/ had a journey on the way.”
Mason, who says his biggest influences are NF, Sikworld and Logic, said:
“I’m a fairly new artist, who is trying to move up in the rap game and inspire others with my music.
“Therefore, with Blaine being a close friend of mine, and with him also being a big fan of my music, I felt it was only right to make a song as a tribute to him and in memory of him.
“He was a friend of a friend initially but we became a group of four.
“We starting becoming very close over the last few months, therefore I got to knew him fairly well.”
The song is set to be uploaded on iTunes, Spotify and other other music sites and can also be viewed here.
