A CHARITY football match and fun day will be held in Melksham this weekend in memory of a much-loved local man who recently died from cancer.
Leigh Gaskin, 27, tragically lost his life to Ewing’s Sarcoma last August. Friends and family of the former Aloeric School and George Ward School pupil have joined together to organise the charity event which will include games between former managers and players from Melksham Park, who Leigh played for from the age of eight to 16, an under 7s tournament and a match between AFC Melksham’s disabled football team. A raffle, barbecue, sweet stalls and more will also be available.
The event will take place on Sunday May 10th, 1.30pm at Melksham Town Football Club’s home ground, The Conigre. Proceeds raised at the event will go towards Sarcoma UK, the only cancer charity that focuses on all types of sarcoma. Since August, a number of events put on in Leigh’s name have raised £7,000 for charity.
A school friend of Leigh’s said: “Leigh was such a generous and positive soul that it’s easy to be inspired by him really. It feels only right to do something to honour him and raise awareness and funds for such a good cause. We all feel very humbled to be able to contribute in a small way.”
The charity day will also double up as a social event and reunion for the George Ward School class of 1998-2003, the years Leigh attended the former secondary school.
The organising committee are calling for as many people as possible to turn out on the day to help raise as much money as possible. Leigh’s friends are flying in from all over the world to be a part of the event with some travelling from as far as Toronto and South Africa.
Friends of Leigh said: “We have been overwhelmed by the generosity of the Melksham businesses we have approached and to date we have had numerous pledges of prizes for the raffle and auction, food and other supplies, programme sponsorship and even staffing for the event. Auction prizes include a pair of GHDs, a pair of Tottenham Hotspurs tickets, designer sunglasses and much more.”
If you would like to donate gifts or resources for the event then contact James Worsley at jamesworsley@rocketmail.com
You can also donate funds to the cause by visiting www.justgiving.com/remember/141556/leigh-gaskin
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