Movember in memory of Gareth

Silchester widow smashed goal of raising £100 for every year of Gareth's life

THE widow of a popular Silchester man who died unexpectedly at home in July has raised more than £5,800 for theMovember Foundation.

Father-of-one Gareth Donnelly, a wicketkeeper for Silchester Cricket Club, died on July 9.

His widow Amy set up a Movember team with the aim of raising £3,700, £100 for every year of Mr Donnelly’s life – but she has smashed that target.

She said: “Gareth loved doing it. He liked the handlebar moustache best and would go to weddings and parties like it.

“I stopped organising things in November, so we didn’t have to go out.

“Last year when he did it, I was pregnant and worried the baby would be born and he would be in all the pictures with a handlebar moustache.

“It was a charity he had first-hand experience of and would be proud that I am doing this.”

The Movember Foundation tackles men’s health issues, including prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention, with the aim of preventing men from dying too young.

Mr Donnelly survived two open-heart surgeries and testicular cancer in 2009.