Fundraiser for Gloucestershire officer who lost family in Boxing Day house fire surpasses £300,000
Over 15,000 donations have been made to support Tom Shearman
A fundraising campaign for a Gloucestershire police officer who tragically lost his wife and two children in a house fire on Boxing Day has raised over £300,000.
Tom Shearman, an officer with Gloucestershire Constabulary, attempted to rescue his family from the blaze but was prevented by the severity of the fire at their home in Brimscombe, near Stroud.
His wife Fionnghuala Shearman, known as Nu, and their two children—seven-year-old Eve and four-year-old Ohner—died in the fire. The family dog also did not survive.
Mr Shearman was hospitalised for treatment but has since been discharged.
Donations and support
A GoFundMe appeal was launched on Sunday to aid Mr Shearman in rebuilding his life following the tragedy. The fundraiser originally set a target of £110,000, which was surpassed. A new goal of £350,000 has now been set.
On New Year’s Eve, donations exceeded £300,000, with over 15,000 contributions.
The funds are expected to assist with emergency accommodation, clothing, and additional financial support for Mr Shearman.
Fire investigation
Emergency services were called to the family's mid-terrace Cotswold stone cottage on Brimscombe Hill at around 3am on Boxing Day.
Reports suggest Mr and Mrs Shearman were woken by the fire and tried to rescue their children from a rear bedroom, but the intensity of the blaze made it impossible.
Mr Shearman smashed a bathroom window in an effort to reach his children's room from outside, but could not gain access. The fire reportedly started on the ground floor and investigations are ongoing into its cause, though police say it is not being treated as suspicious.
The fire caused significant damage to the property, destroying the roof, ceiling, stairs, and other areas.
The bodies of the couple’s children and their dog were recovered from the property on Tuesday, after the body of Mrs Shearman, believed to be in her late 30s, had already been located.
Donations to support Mr Shearman can be made via the GoFundMe page.