Hundreds support Sebbage family at Tadley fundraiser

The event – an 11-a-side dads v lads football match – raised £10,471 to help Robert’s parents raise £60,000 to cover the costs of an impending Greek court case relating to the death of their son.
The Tadley community has been supporting Weyhill Close couple Rhian and Andy Sebbage in their efforts. Robert died, aged 18, after being allegedly stabbed by a taxi driver in Zakynthos while he was on holiday with fellow former pupils of The Hurst Community College, Jordan Manson, Samuel Champion, Steven Granston and Callum Lane, who were also stabbed in the attack.
To begin the day, there was a four-mile open bus tour tour around Tadley and Baughurst, sponsored by Reading FC – of which Robert Sebbage was a lifelong fan – started from Mendem Motors in Silchester Road, with some 30 members of the lads team chanting and waving.
It was driven by Daniel Weaving, of Tadley, a formed neighbour of the Sebbages, and was the same bus that had transported Reading FC players around the town centre with their nPower championship trophy on April 29. Team members included Reading FC’s right back, Nick Arnold, who had been a friend of Robert Sebbage.
Some 600 people had gathered at the Barlows Park Sports Complex venue to greet the team. Mr Arnold said: “It’s brilliant the amount of people that have turned up already. It’s what the family want and need. It’s a good step forwards and brings us closer to justice.”
Following a minute’s applause in memory of Robert, the match got under way after an official opening by the MP for North West Hampshire, Sir George Young, who said: “I’m here to support the family, and they will be encouraged by the huge numbers that have turned out. I hope that this will give them the support they need, knowing the community is behind them.”
The lads side comprised of some 30 players whoe were rotated throughout, and included Robert’s brothers, Martin, aged 24, and Steven, aged 20.
Martin said afterwards: “So many of Robert’s mates wanted to play, we whittled it down from 45 to 30.”
During half-time, a friend of the Sebbage family, Sarah Thomas, had her hair shaved off on the pitch by hairdresser Louise Somerville, aged 23, to raise further funds.
After drawing 1-1 in the first half, the second half of the match saw three further goals scored by the lads side, to secure the winners’ trophy, which was presented to team members by Mr and Mrs Sebbage.
After the match, Mr Sebbage, said that it had proved “brilliant, absolutely superb.” Mrs Sebbage added that the turnout had been “amazing.”
The event also included a fete, with a hog roast, barbecue, cake stall and games and there were half-time displays by Tadley dance groups Dancephaze and Cheerphaze.
The chairwoman of Tadley Town Council, Jo Slimin, expressed the council’s support for the Sebbage family and Mrs Slimin, who is also chairwoman of the Barlow’s Park Management Association, added that the sports complex had been provided free of charge.
For more details about the Out of the Blue campaign visit www.outoftheblue-rjs.co.uk

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