GENEROUS teachers and members of school staff have raised more than £500 in memory of a former pupil who died earlier this year.

Eilidh Buckley, from Port Seton, died suddenly from meningitis at the end of July.

The former Preston Lodge High School pupil was due to celebrate her 18th birthday just weeks later.

Now, staff and pupils at the Prestonpans school have helped fund a memorial for Eilidh.

A spokesman for the school said: “Our staff charity fundraising group, the Raising Agents, have had two events so far this term.

“We are having to be more innovative and creative as we are not able to hold coffee mornings and the like just now.

“We had a ‘Guess the Bottle’ event and a virtual cocktail making class.

“A big thank you to George Andersons, who donated the fruit.

“So far we have raised £550, which will be used to fund a memorial for Eilidh Buckley.”

A fund was previously set up by John Marshall, senior community development officer at the Port Seton Centre, to help raise funds for a memorial bench.

At the time of her death, Gavin Clark, headteacher, said: “Eilidh was a really lovely young woman, and everyone at Preston Lodge was devastated by the news of her very untimely passing.

“She was funny, warm, caring, intelligent and likeable. Eilidh was able to use those attributes well and she made Preston Lodge a better place in her role as depute head girl.

“I knew Eilidh well, having taught her for the last two years, and I always enjoyed having her in class. She was sparky, hard-working and always interested.

“She was able to use her abilities to find often interesting and clever solutions to complex academic challenges, but she also spent a lot of time supporting and encouraging other students.

“Eilidh was an incredible role model to our younger students, and was constantly making their school experience a positive one.”